By Nangamso Mabindla
27 November 2006

THE Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) will invest about R60-million over the next two years in the expansion of the country's fastest growing airport, the East London Airport.

This investment was announced at Acsa's annual awards, held in East London last week. Acsa operates the country's 10 main airports.

Talking about the reason for the investment in the East London Airport, manager Tebogo Mekgoe said that over the past two to three years the airport had grown by over 30 percent. A good growth for airports was between 4 percent and 6 percent.

"This makes us the fastest growing airport in the country. This year alone we have had a 17 percent growth, and this puts a strain on our airport; that is why the investment [is being made] in improving it."

Mekgoe said that because of its size the airport could not handle the increasing number of passengers using it. One of the reasons for this increase was the introduction of the low fare airline, 1time, in 2004.

Speaking about some of the additions to the airport, Mekgoe said that these would include additional parking, a new air traffic control tower, an improved runway and other important features.

"We want to make this airport a facility that East Londoners and other passengers will be proud of. I would like to appeal to passengers using the airport to be patient with us as contractors will be busy with work at it," he said.

An improved airport would not only have short term benefits for East Londoners; it would also benefit the city during the soccer showpiece, the Fifa Soccer World Cup in 2010. Acsa chief executive Monhla Hlahla said that transport would be very important during the soccer extravaganza.

"The soccer world governing body, Fifa, has discovered that there could be a challenge with the availability of rooms during the world cup, so it might need to accommodate [players] in other towns and cities," she said. "Transport will be important in getting those teams to their playing venues. This is a chance for towns like East London to play a role in the world cup."

Hlahla added that it was important that an airport like the one in East London was upgraded.

John Badenhorst, a Buffalo City councillor, welcomed the investment into the airport, saying it was in line with the City Development Strategy, a 20-year economic growth plan for the city.

"Our [strategy] talks about connectivity, and the upgrading of our airport and port will go a long way towards connecting our city to Africa and the major markets around the world. I am very happy that our partners share the same vision as our City's executive mayor, Zintle Peter," he said.