South Durban airport plan welcomed

Proposal receives backing from tourism body, political parties

- THAMI MAGUBANE

THE proposed construction of a new airport on the south of Durban has been described as a vital move that could trigger economic growth and create more jobs for the city.

Tourism bodies and opposition parties in the council have welcomed the proposal, adding that the city should invest in essential infrastructure.

The tourism industry said it had suffered immensely after the old airport in the south of the city was closed.

City manager Musa Mbhele revealed the proposal during the mayoral tourism trade stakeholder engagement held in Durban recently. The City is exploring plans for a second airport on the South Coast to improve regional accessibility and boost tourism.

The Mercury reached out to the municipality to get more details on the proposed project, but the City had not responded by the time of publication.

Durban’s previous airport, located south of the City, the Durban International Airport (formerly Louis Botha Airport), served as the City’s main airport until May 2010, when King Shaka International Airport opened in La Mercy, 35km away.

The relocation was prompted by Durban International's 2.4 km runway, which was too short for jumbo jets, compared to King Shaka’s 3.7km runway.

It has been reported that Transnet purchased the Durban International Airport site from Airports Company South Africa for R1.8 billion in 2012 and leased it to Seaworld in 2017. However the project stalled and the lease was cancelled. This has led to a protracted legal dispute between Transnet and Seaworld.