UNDER FIRE

On Saturday morning, the SA Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) said the downgrade was owing to safety concerns and non-compliance to Civil Aviation Regulations.

“The SACAA would like to clarify that the downgrade of the FARB [Richards Bay Airport] followed an inspection by the regulator, which identified the risks related to their fire and rescue services that do not meet the required safety standards under this grading,” said SACAA communications manager Sisa Majola.

“Under a Category 2 classification, an aerodrome is not permitted to land commercial aircraft and is only granted permission for small aircraft.”

Majola went on to say, only once the airport submits a 'corrective action plan that showcases compliance as well as the mitigation of safety risks that were identified at the airport' will the regulator consider a higher aerodrome categorisation application.

Suspend operations

Airlink, the privately-owned aircraft carrier operating the Richards BayJohannesburg route, has subsequently been forced to suspend operations until further notice.

“The safety and well-being of our customers, crews and equipment is paramount for Airlink and we scrupulously follow the SACAA’s safety regulations.

“However, Richards Bay is an economically important route and we intend to resume services on the route as soon as the SACAA lifts the restriction on the airport,” said Airlink MD and CEO Rodger Foster.

The airline said holders of tickets for flights between Johannesburg and Richards Bay should contact Airlink’s Customer Service office on 011 4517550, or their travel agent, to be rebooked for travel at a later date, or to another destination (e.g. Durban), or to request a refund.

The Airport Company of South Africa (Acsa) partnered with the City of uMhlathuze through a multi-year contract to manage Richards Bay Airport after it was closed during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and remained closed for two years.

Since the reopening in September 2022, Airlink has been the only carrier that returned to operate out of Richards Bay.

In December 2023, Airlink further introduced a jet service on the route, which saw a significant increase in capacity and reduction in flight time following an increase in demand for passenger and cargo services.

Deficiencies

A source revealed that the airport downgrade was a result of insufficient firefighters, and deficiencies found in one of the fire trucks.

“It is not clear when these deficiencies will be attended to and nobody knows when more staff will be hired,” said the source.

These problems were confirmed by another source, who revealed that, like Empangeni, the Richards Bay Fire Station building is also in a bad state.

“Windows are broken, the roof leaks badly and roller doors are not functioning. Both the Richards Bay and Empangeni stations need more manpower.

“Both have basic equipment that is required, but they do not have resources to deal with hazardous fire incidents.

“Another challenge faced by Empangeni is that water tankers have taken over their hydrants. [Tankers filling at hydrants] cause many delays when firefighters need to fill their trucks to attend to an emergency.

“Firefighters have to locate a water tanker driver and ask him to move his truck to fill up.

The station is muddy and they can’t keep it clean, as water tankers spill water all over the place.

"These issues were raised with authorities, and they asked to look for alternative places where water tankers can fill up, but to date nothing has happened," said the source.

Additional fire engines are reportedly urgently needed as a back-up to the already ageing and insufficient fire trucks.

“Some of the vehicles they have are in poor condition.

“There is a problem in Supply Chain Management; some trucks have not been serviced for almost two years because of the delays in that department.” .

The downgrade was a result of insufficient firefighters, and deficiencies found in one of the fire trucks

Emergency response severely lacking

Richards Bay Clean Air

Association (RBCAA) founder member/communications officer Sandy Camminga said, in a city with a concentration of noxious industries, many listed as major hazardous installations, a co-ordinated emergency response is severely lacking.

“This was proven with the NCT [woodchip] fire which relied heavily on the intervention of the private business sector and community members.

“As a member of the City of uMhlathuze Disaster Management Advisory Forum, the RBCAA, in the years preceding Covid, raised the urgent need for the implementation of an alarm system to notify the community in the event of a gas leak, including an evacuation plan.

To date, neither have been implemented.

“The gas incident in February 2022 highlighted these deficiencies. The public was panicked and there was no alert or co-ordinated emergency response,” she said.

A response from City of uMhlathuze communications manager Bongani Gina was still forthcoming at the time of going to print.