A fresh call is being made to beef up security at the airfield after a group of horses nearly scuppered the landing of a Red Cross Pilatus PC 12.
The flight, carrying six medical specialists from Pietermaritzburg who were on their way to conduct specialist treatment at CJM Hospital, Nquthu, had to circle four or five times and then eventually ‘buzz’ the horses from a low fly over of only 50 metres.
Pilots, Capt Sakkie de Bruin, an ex SA Airforce pilot, and co-pilot, Yusuf Vahed, said they had come into landing at about 9am last Tuesday.
“A group of about seven horses were strolling around the airstrip maybe enjoying the grass in the area,’ said Capt de Bruin.”Initially, the horses thought it was an airshow for them as they just stared upwards without moving.”
But on the second flypast which was somewhat lower, they really got to move on and the runway was cleared.
For safety purposes a mock approach was done, just to confirm the horses would not return and on the fourth approach, the aircraft landed safely.

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Mr Vahed told the Courier if the horses had not moved, the pilots would have had no choice but to return to Pietermaritzburg and the specialists would have been unable to carry out their much-needed treatment procedures in Nquthu.
“Safety first. Dundee must seriously look at the safety of the airfield or pilots will be very hesitant to use this facility,” he said.
Local pilot, Paul Coetser, who is closely associated with the airfield said it was ‘sad that millions of Rands had been spent on a very fancy fence around the perimeter of the airfield, yet horses and other animals, and people, could stray onto to the area because gates are left open’.
“There is one security guard and this is a huge place to patrol for one person.
“The best thing to do is to, like all farmers here, is to invest in a simple cattle grid at all the entrances. This will keep animals out and will not cost a fortune.”
Mr Coetser said it was a concern that pilots now considered Dundee airfield ‘dangerous’ yet the solution was ‘pretty simple’.
According to Capt Sakkie de Bruin, these type of challenges, sometimes elephants, wild game, are all in a day’s work flying for the Red Cross all over Africa. The municipality was asked for comment but at the time of going to press, none had been received. A response will be published as soon as it is forthcoming.