The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development has commended Government for the installation of new and modern air traffic control and communication equipment that has enhanced the security of the country's air space.
The Committee's chairperson, Cde Knowledge Kaitano, said this after touring the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe's facilities at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare yesterday.
CAAZ installed new secondary surveillance radar equipment, air traffic area control and communication systems at both the domestic and international terminals and the doppler very-high frequency omni-directional range/distance measuring equipment.
The installation of the equipment was part of the modernisation of the RGM International Airport.
"What we have seen here during this visit is an improvement in terms of the machinery and equipment that is there, the modernisation thereof.
"We have seen that CAAZ has improved their equipment and that also ensures that the safety and security of our skies in Zimbabwe is enhanced, so we are happy in that respect. CAAZ has done a good job in improving, modernising and digitising most of their operations," Cde Kaitano said.
He added that the Committee would also look at improvement of the legal framework governing CAAZ operations.
"There are a number of legislative issues that CAAZ would want us to consider and we have asked them to bring them forward because some of those legislative issues are very important for the improvement of the safety and security of our air space," Cde Kaitano said.
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CAAZ Director-General Engineer Elijah Chingosho said it was important for the country's air space to be secure.
"Aviation facilitates the country's investment, trade and connectivity.
"It is through the country's connectivity that we are able to get tourists from within the country, the region and the rest of the world," he said.
CAAZ Board Chairperson, Ms Nonkosi Ncube, said it was important that they remain compliant with international aviation safety standards.
"You have to realise that the entity (CAAZ) itself is in a highly regulated area, we have our mother body which is the International Civil Aviation Organisation, which is the one which gives us regulations on how to run an efficient civil aviation body.
"Therefore, we are subject to audits which is how they check our compliance.
"So we have to be compliant so that our country is regarded as one of those countries which is compliant in the aviation global industry," she said.
