Makana's director of public safety and community services Mandisi Planga believes there are no obstacles to Cemair's scheduled air service between Grahamstown and Johannesburg launching within a month.
Makana's director of public safety and community services Mandisi Planga believes there are no obstacles to Cemair's scheduled air service between Grahamstown and Johannesburg launching within a month.
This comes after reports that the Grahamstown Flying Club's leasehold on the airstrip might prove a spanner in the works, and even rumours that the airfiield had been sold off.
However, Planga emphasised in an interview with Grocott's Mail on Thursday 5 March that the Grahamstown Flying Club was not in competition with the scheduled airline.
"In fact, they welcome the new service, and Cemair in turn is very accommodating of the club."
He said while there was never any risk of the air service plans being scuppered, starting operations depended on resolving contractual matters.
Planga said he expected a resolution by mid-March, which would then be presented to Council.
At the crux of the resolution was the length of the Flying Club's lease, and he therefore refused to comment on this.
According to DA Chief Whip in the Makana Council Les Reynolds, the Club recently renewed their lease until 2018.
In an emailed response, he clarified: "The Grahamstown Flying Club manages the airport as the lease holder.
This does not stop any aircraft from flying into Grahamstown.
In fact charter flights come in on a regular basis and the GFC collect the landing fee on behalf of the Municipality."
Neither Ron Weissenberg of the Grahamstown Flying Club nor Cemair CEO Miles van der Molen was aware of any hitch in plans to launch the Cemair service.
Planga said Cemair's operation here would be a win-win situation for the Council. Council is in dire financial straits and can't go beyond a certain point in terms of subsidising air operations," he said. "I think we do need this service for the economic growth of this town."
sue@grocotts.co.za
