Operations at Mthatha Airport have resumed after flights were on Saturday diverted to King Phalo Airport in East London in the Eastern Cape due to a protest by firefighters.
According to the provincial department of transport, plans were put in place to ensure the safety of passengers.
The department’s spokesperson Unathi Binqose said the safety measures taken also included making necessary arrangements for the safe landing of aircraft while the airport and government attend to internal challenges.
“We wish to extend our sincere apologies to all the passengers who were affected by yesterday’s problems at Mthatha Airport which necessitated that flights be diverted to East London Airport. Landing without firefighters on standby is strictly prohibited. To avoid reoccurrence of that, we have moved with speed to rope in firefighters from the municipality for a safe landing,” he said.
Mthatha Airport is back in full operation after firefighter protests https://t.co/kF0ZhQMv9m #ArriveAlive #Protests @EcTransport @Dotransport pic.twitter.com/69SnJzaji0
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) June 23, 2024
Last month, the Department of Transport and Community Safety in the Eastern Cape assured Mthatha residents that all transport services, including the Mthatha Airport, would continue operations following a volatile taxi-related strike in the region.
