Public Policy Correspondent

FORMER National Party transport minister Hendrik Schoeman said: "Forget about La Mercy. Get it out of your head," when asked in Parliament in 1983 when Durban's proposed new airport would be built.

The statement was made about 10 years after the plan to build the airport, north of Durban, was approved by the National Party government.

Now, 20 years after Schoeman's answer, there is still no commercial airport at La Mercy.

Although the new airport has failed to take off for more than three decades, all the successive KwaZulu-Natal provincial governments still live in hope that the project will get off the ground some day.

The plan is to relocate the current Durban International Airport to La Mercy, where it will be renamed King Shaka International Airport. But the project has always drawn scepticism. New Republic Party MP Brian Page said in 1981 of government's promise that the new airport would be operational by

1988: "I'll believe it when I see it." His statement is still relevant even today.

The Dube Trade Port, the company established to manage the proposed industrial development zone of which the airport forms an integral part , says it is raring to start with the construction phase, but is awaiting the goahead.

The company believes the airport will be operational by 2006.

But its statement, like Schoeman s in the mid-1970s that La Mercy would be operational by 1982, may have to be reviewed in the years to come.

Already the Airports Company of SA (Acsa), which owns the land on which the new airport will be constructed, has threatened to "vigorously oppose" the KwaZulu-Natal government's intention to expropriate its land.

The tug of war between provincial authorities and Acsa follows a notice in the Provincial Gazette last week by KwaZuluNatal public works MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu stating the department's intention to expropriate the land at the La Mercy site.

The 206899ha of land is currently zoned for agricultural purposes. It comprises a sugar plantation, an aircraft hangar and a wooden house.

Acsa has been given 30 days to make written representations or submissions regarding the land expropriation.

But Acsa spokesman Solomon Makgale says the company will defend its land.

"Management will vigorously oppose it (land expropriation) in the best interest of Acsa, its staff and the country," he says.

The parastatal was surprised to hear of the intended land expropriation.

"It is very unfortunate that the provincial public works department decided to take the route of issuing a notice in the Provincial Gazette to the surprise of all participants in the this process including the national government," says Makgale.

But contrary to popular opinion, Acsa is not opposed to the relocation of the airport to La Mercy.

But the parastatal says the new airport should be built and occupied only after the present Durban airport has reached full capacity.

It says the passenger traffic in Durban does not justify building a new airport, at least not until 2017 or 2020, when passenger numbers are projected to double to 5-million.

"Most importantly, the model is not premised on the closure of the current airport," says Makgale.

But delays in the project will be very costly.

In 1971 the Durban Chamber of Commerce estimated the total costs of building the airport to be R200m, while the government's projections were revised from the initial R70m to R108m.

Today, the total costs could rise as much as R2,5bn, say experts.

The national government has already approved the development of the industrial development zone in Durban.

The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government and Acsa now need to find common ground on how best to deal with the matter of the new airport.

The airport will play a key role in the facilitation of goods and services manufactured and processed within the industrial zone. This will have large benefits for the province and the economy.

It is against this backdrop that SA cannot afford to forget about La Mercy.

Mar 02 2004 07:30:24:000AM Khulu Phasiwe Business Day 1st Edition