By Sipho Matshie
Opening Remarks
Aviation in South Africa is regulated by domestic and international instruments, which demand strong adherence to strict safety standards by all role players in the industry. For airports, which are a cornerstone of tourism and trade, the question of safety should not even be up for debate. Airports play a crucial role in the economy and the closure of the Vereeniging Airport is terrible news for the community, who will lose out on business and other aviation related developments. In particular, the airport served as a training hub for flight training, which, after these developments, is likely to relocate somewhere else. These are but some of the devastating consequences of the recent airport closure.
According to Business Tech, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) decided to withdraw the operating license of the Vereeniging Airport over safety concerns. It was reported that the facility had poor fencing leading to animals roaming around freely, raising concerns over landing and take-off for the flights utilising the airport. In addition, the airport no longer had runaway approach lights and thereby discouraging, or making impossible, night operations.
The Economic Impact of the Airport Closure
The decision to close to airport will have ripple effects on the local economy. Although an airport ordinarily caters for passengers, modern airports now benefit the community by offering services which non-flying people can also enjoy (Zondi et al., 2025). This means that the loss is not going to be felt by aviators alone, even non-aviators will suffer in the aftermath of the airport closure, directly or indirectly.
Airports serve as economic hubs which service the community and must therefore be understood beyond take-off and landing (Luke and Walters, 2010). Put differently, ‘[a]irports contribute directly to economic growth by supporting the tourism sector and creating job opportunities through increased connectivity and expenditure’ (Zondi et al., 2025) and the people of Vereeniging will most likely miss out on these opportunities.
Safety in the Aviation Industry
The above notwithstanding, safety remains a key element of the aviation sector (Robinson, Mearns and McKay, 2021). The presence of animals on a runway, for instance, creates a high risk of runway incursions and potential collisions, which can have catastrophic consequences. Similarly, the lack of proper lighting compromises visibility and increases the likelihood of accidents, particularly under low-light conditions.
Although the closure of the facility will cripple the already struggling local economy, a balanced economic and safety exercise needs to be undertaken. For tourism to thrive and be sustained, safety and security around airports is imperative (Panyapanya and Jansen van Rensburg, 2023). This means that safety on the aerodromes is the conditio sine quo non of the economic activity in the area. Therefore, it is imprudent to aim for economic gains at the expense or compromise of the aviation safety standards. While the closure of the airport is regrettable, it is nonetheless justified. The risks posed by non-compliance are simply too great to ignore.
Airports are of course susceptible to criminality, including theft (Panyapanya and Jansen van Rensburg, 2023). Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that the runaway lights were stolen at the Vereeniging Airport, as these facilities are one of the most targeted by criminals. The hope, however, is that the Sedibeng District Municipality, together with the relevant stakeholders will take the necessary corrective measures to address these deficiencies and perhaps have the airport resume operations in a manner that meets the required safety standards. These standards emanate from the domestic and international law fronts, which are discussed below.
The Law on Safety Standards
On the international plane, reference is made to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), established under the Convention on International Civil Aviation, 1944 (Chicago Convention). South Africa is a contracting State to the Chicago Convention and is therefore obliged to implement ICAO’s Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), which are contained in the Annexes to the Convention. These include, among others, Annex 14, which deals with Aerodromes (An aerodrome is the part of an airport that is used by aircraft), which sets standards for runway design, lighting, and airport infrastructure. It must be noted that ICAO does not interfere in the territorial affairs of the States, it merely imposes obligations that ensure that the domestic operations of states give effect to these safety standards.
Territorially, the above international instruments are incorporated by the Civil Aviation Act 13 of 2009 (the Act) and its related Regulations, which then govern the aviation affairs in South Africa, including safety. Section 3 of the Act empowers the State to give effect to the Chicago Convention and its Annexes, discussed above. The statute also establishes the SACAA as the body responsible, amongst others, for safety and security in the South African aviation industry. The Regulations promulgated pursuant to the Act contain detailed, technical requirements, including aerodrome certification standards.
Part 139 of the Regulations governs aerodromes and requires, amongst others, adequate perimeter fencing to prevent animal incursions and proper runway lighting systems for safe operations (see Part 139.01.31 of the Regulations), particularly during night conditions (see Part 139.01.5 of the Regulations). These are mandatory compliance requirements for licensed aerodromes. The Vereeniging Airport was operating in contravention of these legal standards.
Concluding Remarks
With the Vereeniging Airport having lost its license, that should serve as an eye opener to other municipalities or entities which own similar facilities in South Africa. The stance by the SACAA must be understood as a legitimate exercise of statutory power aimed at safeguarding the public and maintaining the integrity of South Africa’s aviation ecosystem. The economic and social consequences for the Vereeniging community are undeniable but where safety is concerned, there can never be any compromises. Allowing the airport to operate in that state would have been a dereliction of duty by the civil aviation authority, which would have been at odds with the domestic law and the obligations arising from the international community.
About the author:
Sipho Matshie is an LLB graduate and an LLM Candidate, majoring in Aviation Law at UNISA. He currently serves as a Candidate Attorney at the UNISA Law Clinic and forms part of the Aviation Law Working Group, at UNISA. He writes herein in his personal capacity.
Bibliography
Domestic Law
- Civil Aviation Act 13 of 2009
- Civil Aviation Regulations, 2011
International law
- Convention on International Civil Aviation, 1944
Journal Articles
- Lance Robinson, Kevin Mearns and Tracey McKay, ‘Oliver Tambo International Airport, South Africa: Land-use Conflicts between Airports and Wildlife Habitats’ (2021) Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
- Luke, R. and Walters, J, ‘The economic impact of South Africa’s international airports’ (2010) Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management
- Michael Panyapanya and Shandré Kim Jansen van Rensburg, ‘Security Professionals’ Perceptions of Crime at the Oliver Reginald Tambo International Airport: Towards Sustainable Solutions’ (2023) International Annals of Criminology
- Zondi, W.B., Buthelezi, S.P., Cele, T., Nxumalo, L.M. & Zondo, N.M., 2025. ‘Liquidation of airlines’ impact on airport businesses? The case of King Shaka International Airport’ (2025) Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management