Durban International Airport premises lies in limbo
A look into the legal battle over the Durban International Airport premises two companies have been embroiled in since 2018.
THE Durban International Airport in Prospecton was once a paragon of South Africa’s international air travel hubs, serving tourists and citizens alike for six decades. While the land is still being used by multiple entities, including an auto shop, and vehicle manufacturers for parking spots, the legal battle for the property is ongoing.
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Originally dubbed the Louis Botha Airport when it was opened in 1951, it was renamed following the democratic elections in 1994. During its glory days, the airport was the third most popular airport in the country.
It was decommissioned in 2010 when the King Shaka International Airport was opened, as its 2.4km runway was too short for large aircraft to take off, thus limiting its international appeal.
Transnet purchased the terminal building, runways and some 800 hectares of open fields from the Airports Company South Africa for R1.85 billion, and had bold plans to develop the airport into a mega container port for heavy cargo vessels. Once completed, according to Transnet, it would triple the city port’s cargo capacity.
These plans, however, fizzled out and with the land lying dormant, a private company, Seaworld Aviation, signed a 10-year lease with the state-owned enterprise to operate the airport until 2027, aiming to use it as a hub for smaller airlines to boost tourism across Durban’s southern shores.
Once again, the plans went awry and since then, the two have been embroiled in a legal battle regarding the contract. Transnet claimed it cancelled the lease in 2018 because Seaworld Aviation used the premises in breach of the agreement. “As soon as the tenant took over, they started subletting it to businesses that have nothing to do with aviation,” it said.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) announced their investigation into the lease agreement concerning the airport premises, and allegations of serious maladministration within Transnet. When asked for a comment on the progress of the investigation, the SIU was yet to provide clarity.
Thabani Mbatha, of Transnet
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