After 30 years, green light at last for R2,5bn King Shaka airport at La Mercy  

Khulu Phasiwe
Public Policy Correspondent

THE construction of the King Shaka International Airport in Durban is finally to take place next year after more than 30 years of planning.

The process has been characterised by disputes over land and when the airport should be built.

The resolution of these issues means that the R2,5bn new airport, which forms part of the proposed Dube Tradeport industrial development zone, will replace Durban International Airport when in comes into operation in 2010.

The new airport will be at La Mercy, about 25km north of Durban.

Speaking after the presentation of the Airports Company SA’s (Acsa’s) financial results for the year ended March, Transport Minister Jeff Radebe was happy the project would finally get off the ground.

“The various engagements with all parties have come a long and rocky road,” Hadebe said.

“But we have finalised a structure that represents both certainty, cost rationalisation, ease of management and implementation, as well correctly apportioning risk and responsibility.”

Radebe said Acsa would build, operate and own the airport and the passenger terminals while the Dube Tradeport would own, manage and develop the industrial development zone. The Dube Tradeport, which will take ownership of 206ha of land at La Mercy from Acsa, would also manage the airport cargo terminals.

Radebe said the master-planning for the entire precinct and the redevelopment of the existing Durban airport site would be done jointly by the two parties, as well as the municipality of eThekwini, the national transport department and the KwaZulu-Natal province.

Acsa MD Monhla Hlahla said the airports operator had yet to decide what to do with the Durban airport.

The company would look at various options, which included long-term leasing of the land. There was no plan to sell the land.

Hlahla said the planned relocation of the airport to La Mercy was a business decision and was not influenced by politics.

“The present site of the Durban International Airport cannot accommodate the planned capacity expansion projects. It will never be able to handle the expansion of both freight and passengers,” she said.

Acsa financial director Brooks Mparutsa said revenue for the year to March rose to R2,2bn (2005: R1,9bn) on the back of a 39% surge in net cash flow from operations to R1bn (R734m).

Operating profit increased 30% to R977m.