New Richards Bay airport

UMHLATHUZE plans to move Richards Bay Airport to a new site where it could cater for larger aircraft, plus have a cargo terminal added.

This week mayor Mduduzi Mhlongo and his leadership briefed members of the national Economic Development Portfolio Committee on their plans.

Mhlongo told The Mercury a bigger airport was part of the metro’s plan to stimulate the economy and create jobs.“We want to be a regional airport that will also have a cargo facility. We want to be an alternative to King Shaka.”

Estimates of the size of the new airport, or the cost implications, have not yet been determined.

Mhlongo said work on the new airport would begin soon and the Department of Economic Development had provided R1 million for a feasibility study.

The metro issued an analysis which said the current airport was limiting.

“The current airport site is located 11km by road from the N2/Nseleni Interchange and 18km from the N2/John Ross Interchange.

“The airport’s distance from the N2 and the fact that it is nestled between residential areas poses serious expansion limitations,” said the analysis.

“More specifically, there is very limited land available for expansion to accommodate ancillary services and facilities.”

Mhlongo could not say when they would expect the new airport to be fully operational because they were still in the planning phase.

“We want to create an airport that will also accommodate bigger planes, and we want there to be activity at the airport.

“This includes shopping and a hotel function. We also want to link it to our planned international convention centre and to the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone and our rail network.”

Mhlongo said they had identified a parcel of land which they hoped the owner would be willing to part with.

“The land is in private hands so we will still need to negotiate that.”