March 5, 2004

By Samantha Enslin

Durban - Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) is weighing up its options on how to oppose the plans by the KwaZulu-Natal department of works to expropriate 2 060ha of land to develop the Dube Tradeport and King Shaka International Airport.

Acsa has announced its intention "to vigorously oppose" the expropriation but declined yesterday to outline what options are available.

Solomon Makgale, the manager of communications for Acsa, said this week: "We are looking at various options on how to oppose this. But at this stage we cannot say what these options are."

Acsa and any other parties wishing to object have 30 days to do so.

The department's plans were announced last week, catching Acsa - and, according to the company, the national government - by surprise.

But Roger Burrows, the MEC for economic development and tourism who supports plans to expropriate the land, said the process had been discussed with the national government.

"For too long Acsa has kept the door shut with respect to negotiating on a willing seller/willing buyer basis," Burrows said.

"The government has been trying for five years to make inroads with regard to the land issue." 

Acsa said that it had never opposed the airport but had suggested that the new facility only be built when the current Durban International Airport reached full capacity, which is likely happen between 2017 and 2020.

The plans are to develop an industrial zone and a new international airport at La Mercy, north of Durban. The Dube Tradeport is in the process of liaising with the national treasury to obtain treasury one approval.

Treasury one approval is for the proposed public-private partnership's feasibility, to determine whether such a structure would be in the interests of the public institution and enable the project to move into the procurement phase.

The treasury said yesterday the feasibility study for the new port and airport might be ready for treasury one approval in application by this May or June.

Thereafter, treasury two approval needs to be obtained for the issuing of tender documents. Final approval is given following successful talks with the preferred bidder.

If all approvals are obtained, the provincial government hopes to realise the implementation of the project by 2009.