June 10, 2004

By Samantha Enslin

Durban - City officials and business leaders have welcomed calls to develop a dugout port at the site of Durban International Airport once the King Shaka International Airport is built at La Mercy.

Obed Mlaba, eThekwini's mayor, said yesterday: "The issue has been discussed before, but I think it is high time we put it on the table again.

"The Durban port not only serves Durban and South Africa but the whole of Africa. There are many public stakeholders in the port and all leadership should be discussing this issue."

The provincial government is spearheading plans to develop the Dube Trade Port, incorporating the King Shaka International Airport north of Durban, which will possibly free up the land occupied by the current airport

The Airports Company South Africa (Acsa), which operates Durban International Airport and owns the land for the King Shaka International Airport, has been embroiled in a dispute with the provincial government over the development of the new airport.

It has previously said that in terms of its plans, a new airport would be built at La Mercy only if Durban International Airport reached full capacity.

Current traffic growth forecasts indicated that this was likely to happen between 2017 and 2020, when annual passenger traffic reached 5 million. However, this model was not premised on the closure of the current airport, Acsa said.

The provincial government is vigorously pursuing its plans to develop the Dube Trade Port, which is due to open in 2009.

In February the provincial department of public works issued a notice to expropriate the 2 060ha Acsa site at La Mercy.

This notice was withdrawn before the election and the matter is in the hands of transport minister Jeff Radebe.

All indications point to the Dube Trade Port and King Shaka International Airport going ahead, meaning that the current airport could be available for alternative development.

Other suggestions are to use the land for manufacturing.

Prince Sifiso Zulu, the deputy president of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said yesterday: "The chamber would definitely support the development of a dugout port as it would enhance Durban's competitiveness."

However, the National Ports Authority (NPA), which is responsible for port development in South Africa, is not enthusiastic about the idea.

It said: "The NPA is not willing to comment on this issue at the moment."

"You would be fully aware that discussions on the relocation of Durban airport are ongoing between the relevant parties involved."

"Our infrastructure development plans are geared to meeting current demand for space at our ports in the immediate to long term."

"It is in our interest to ensure that we are in a position to support trade growth, and these considerations inform our decisions to increase capacity in the ports of Durban, Ngqura as well as Cape Town."