MAHIKENG MAIL-MAHIKENG: This week, the MEC for Transport Safety and Community Management, Wessels Morweng, cleared up confusion about circulating, misleading information regarding illegal activities allegedly taking place at the George Dick Montshioa Airport.
The MEC conducted an investigation following posting of a video on social media, calling for aviation schools to vacate the premises due to suspicions of illegal activities. However, upon inspection at the airport, no evidence of illicit activities was found. The MEC’s office thoroughly examined the facilities and interviewed relevant parties, but nothing suspicious or out of the ordinary was discovered.
In a media statement, the MEC said the aviation schools in question had been operating at the airport for some time, providing training and education to students.
Despite the MEC’s initial concerns, the investigation revealed that these schools were functioning within the bounds of the law. The MEC’s decision to investigate was prompted by public concern and the need to ensure compliance with regulations.
One of these aviation companies is called African Union Academy. In the past, the African Union Aviation Academy had a lease agreement with the department, from 2006. The lease continued until the airport was taken over by the management company after signing an agreement with the department. During that time, as part of the agreement, the African Union Aviation Academy renovated all the buildings at the former Air force base from 2007 to 2008. This, after the building was vandalised and looted during the Bophuthatswana Uprising in March 1994. As part of the renovations, lecture rooms and an auditorium was built.
One of the products of this era, was the graduation of the first black pilot in the North West province. She and other two students had received bursaries from the department. At the moment, the African Union Aviation Academy does not have students.
The other aviation school operating at the former air force base is called Paramount Aviation and is owned by Ms Kaela Seoe-Okafor (a South African) and her husband (a Nigerian national). Similarly, they had a contract with the management company that had an agreement with the department. Paramount Aviation has about eleven students, eight of whom are Nigerian nationals and are in the country legally. The department’s contract with the management company has ended and after their departure, the two schools continued to operate without any agreement with the department.
The department has written to the two academies on several occasions and gave them a grace period to vacate, but they did not do so. Last week, the department wrote to them again and gave them 14 days to vacate the premises. The 14 days period ends next week and the provincial government expects them to vacate by then. In the statement, the MEC said his administration had a plan to resuscitate the two airports in the province.
However, the Portfolio Committee Chair, Freddy Sonakile, said the committee was confused by the department as they had failed to answer their questions concerning the airports and they now had to provide answers in writing. “ As of right now, the Portfolio committee is very confused and asking ourselves what is happening. We have given the department seven days to come back to us with a report because this is a serious matter and heads may roll.”
