BuaNews (Tshwane)
Edwin Tshivhidzo
11 June 2008
Johannesburg — The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has assured the country and the rest of the world that the country's airports will be ready to accommodate soccer fans during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Addressing the media in Johannesburg on Tuesday, ACSA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Monhla Hlahla said it was all systems go regarding improvements to the country's airports.
"I'm proud to say that we are on track to deliver for the 2010 Soccer World Cup," said Ms Hlahla. "There has been a tremendous change in terms of infrastructure, we have improved our airports in terms of space and technology. "When the announcement was made that South Africa will be hosting the 2010 World Cup, we had already planned ahead in terms of improving our airports." The world cup encouraged ACSA to look at areas where improvement was needed. Ms Hlahla said construction at the O.R Tambo International Airport will be completed by the end of 2009. "We have also planned to create efficient terminal buildings, by expanding them to accommodate the Gautrain," she said. On Monday, ACSA said the new international airport in La Mercy in Durban was beginning to take shape. Although it has not been a smooth ride to get to the level it is now, it was rapidly becoming part of the Durban and KwaZulu-Natal skyline.
Construction will be completed and handed over to ACSA in 2009. Improvements are also taking place at the Cape Town International Airport, this also to accommodate an influx of tourists in 2010. Ms Hlahla said ACSA was focusing on training its personnel to be more customer focused to ensure good service delivery. With regard to crime at the airports, ACSA is working with various stakeholders to curb crime.
"Theft has come down and we are trying to work towards ensuring that it ends completely," she said.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 BuaNews. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
