South Africa: Call for Investigation Into or Tambo Fuel Collapse Must Be Heeded, for Tourist Confidence

16 December 2024
Democratic Alliance (Cape Town)
press release By Haseena Ismail MP - DA Spokesperson On Tourism

Note to Editors: Please see attached soundbite by Haseena Ismail MP

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for a full-scale Ministerial investigation into the collapse of aviation fuel supply at OR Tambo International Airport yesterday, and its severe impact on South Africa's tourism industry.

The DA has called on the Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, to initiate a thorough investigation into the root causes of this failure, and today we urge the Minister to launch this investigation without delay.

Disruptions of this magnitude threaten to cripple our tourism sector, causing widespread flight delays, cancellations, and interruptions to connecting flights. These challenges deter travellers, lead to financial losses, and tarnish South Africa's reputation as a tourist destination.

It is imperative to determine how this crisis occurred and to implement measures that will prevent similar disruptions in the future. We do not need a patch-up job, we need the issue to be solved completely, so that it does not happen again.

Travellers and tourists must have the confidence that OR Tambo Airport is safe, reliable and not a risk to their travel plans.

This week court documents revealed that Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is facing multiple liquidation applications due to its failure to pay service providers over R500 million, excluding interest, for services rendered which already is a great concern - and a collapse of fuel supply yesterday lends further credence to this reporting.

Allegations of financial misrepresentation and withheld payments by ACSA have further undermined confidence in airport operations and management.

Tourism is a cornerstone of South Africa's economy, sustaining thousands of jobs and contributing significantly to revenue generation. The DA will not tolerate negligence that puts this vital sector at risk.

We urge Minister Creecy to act swiftly to restore stability in the aviation sector and safeguard the growth and resilience of our tourism industry. An announcement today of a full-scale investigation would not be a day too soon.

Read the original article on DA.

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