Richards Bay - KwaZulu-Natal’s second largest city, the City of UMhlathuze (Richards Bay – Mpangeni) on the north coast is looking at building a larger airport that will attract bigger airlines and be compliant with international aviation rules.
Currently, the city has a smaller airport (Richards Bay airport) located within the suburbs and it is serviced by scheduled planes operating between it and Johannesburg.
But now the city wants to change that and build a bigger airport near the N2 freeway on the way to Pongola in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Marking a year in office on Thursday, the city’s mayor, Xolani Ngwezi, outlined some of their achievements, challenges and future plans.
Ngwezi revealed the plan when he briefed residents of the township of Ngwelezane just outside Mpangeni.
At the moment, Ngwezi said, the plan was at the feasibility study level. The costs and the time frame, if the plan went ahead, would be determined later.
“Our feasibility study has been allocated a budget of R2 million and that will start in March next year.
“It is that study that will give us an insight into the project. It will give us information like how much will be needed to build the airport and the time it will take to build the airport.
“The feasibility study will be undertaken along the N2 freeway near Enseleni because that is where we intend to build the new airport,” Ngwezi told IOL.
He added the new airport would be able to attract bigger airlines to the area and stimulate much-needed economic growth.
“Here we will have airlines that will service routes between us (Richards Bay) and cities like Bloemfontein, Cape Town and others.
“If you look at the current airport, there is potential to expand airline operations in the region and reap the benefits.”
Currently, the biggest airport in KwaZulu-Natal is King Shaka International Airport in Durban, followed by the Pietermaritzburg airport, Margate airport and smaller ones in Newcastle and Mkuze.
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