Airports Company South Africa’s (Acsa) network of airports is well on track to cater for the influx of tourists and visitors expected to arrive in the country for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, MD Monhla Hlahla said on Thursday.
Providing a progress report on Acsa’s R5,2-billion infrastructure-expansion programme at the results presentation for the year ended June, Hlahla said key projects at Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban International airports are in full swing.
“I am confident that the various projects will be completed within the timelines allocated to the project managers. They are working within a capacity-development plan, which is in line with Acsa’s broader strategic vision to provide world-class airport services,” she said.
In 2006, Acsa’s capital expenditure amounted to R1,2-billion — a substantial increase over the R492-million spent in 2005. During 2006, capital expenditure has been directed primarily towards the construction of the central terminal buildings at Cape Town and Johannesburg International airports. These buildings link the existing domestic and international terminals at both airports. It has also been used for the international pier project at Johannesburg International airport, among other projects around the country.
“The central terminal buildings will provide a central passenger-processing unit for both domestic and international passengers and give Acsa the capacity we need until 2015 and beyond,” she said.
Acsa plans to spend R1,6-billion on capital expenditure in 2007.
At Johannesburg International airport — which has been allocated the lion’s share of capital expenditure of R3-billion — construction of the new central terminal building is well on track for completion by December 2009, with nine new aircraft stands to be constructed with air-bridge links directly to the terminal to increase airside capacity, she said.
Construction is being planned to handle the larger and wider new Airbus A380 aircraft. Four new contact stands are to be built with dual air bridges to facilitate the boarding and disembarking of passengers through both the upper and lower levels of the plane.
The international pier development will allow for a substantial increase in the number of passengers boarding and disembarking through air bridges. “This will result in improved passenger service, which in turn will help airlines improve their turnaround times,” she noted.
The new facility will be connected to the planned Gautrain Rapid Rail Link.
An additional 5 000 parking bays are to be added to the current 6 900 bays through the construction of a second multistorey parkade, the first phase of which is due to open in May next year.
In Cape Town, construction begins this month on a new central terminal building to be called New Terminal 2010. This will form the foundation for all future expansion at the airport, which recently completed its first multistorey parkade with 2 000 parking bays at a cost of R100-million.
The construction of a second facility with capacity for 2 500 bays, at a cost of R160-million, will start later in the year and is expected to come on stream early 2008, she added.
At Durban, construction is under way for a new, 1 500-bay multistorey parkade, the first phase of which is on track for completion by the end of October and full occupation by August next year. Developments at Acsa’s smaller airports — George, East London and Bloemfontein — are all progressing according to plan.
“We are looking forward to facilitating the increased number of tourists and visitors to the country as they arrive to enjoy the Soccer World Cup. Our airports will be more than ready to provide them with the world-class standard of service they have come to expect,” she added.
Hlahla stressed that safety and security are a primary concern for Acsa, and said that the company has invested R195-million over the past five years in capital expenditure on safety and security.
“There has been a significant increase in crime which has affected airports, an increase from which no industry can claim immunity,” she said. “However, our level of investment shows our commitment to ensuring that our airports are safe.”
During 2006, Acsa spent R119-million on security, up from R111-million in 2005. This is expected to increase by 11% to R132-million in 2007.
Measures that Acsa is implementing to improve security include increasing the number of surveillance analysts in the security control room to monitor baggage areas, the screening of ground handling staff working on airside and the reinstitution of a baggage pilferage committee. — I-Net Bridge