The Minister of Transport, Ms Barbara Creecy, has provided an update on progress made by the Ministerial Intervention Team (MIT) to stabilise and rebuild the Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS) entity of the Department.
In December last year, Minister Creecy appointed an intervention team to look into critical difficulties at ATNS. A draft report received in January this year identified four key problem areas.
The first area highlighted was the shortage of critical staff—those responsible for navigation, flight procedure design, and the development of charts. There were also severe shortages of instructors in the training academy. The intervention team found that the pipeline of scarce skills had not been maintained, resulting in critical staffing shortages.
The second issue related to communication equipment, including existing OEM-supplied systems in need of urgent repair and the broader need for future capital investment in communication and radar infrastructure.
The third area of concern was flight procedures. An audit conducted two years ago revealed that all flight procedures in the country were outdated. These procedures are required to be revised every five years, and this has not occurred. A special dispensation—the alternative means of compliance (AMOC)—was granted by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), but this expires on 10 April this year.
The fourth issue concerned systematic weaknesses in the safety management system. Recurring audit and inspection findings had not been addressed in a timely manner.
Minister Creecy provided updates across all four work streams. Recruitment has commenced for air traffic controllers, flight procedure specialists, air traffic instructors, and other skilled categories. Two former ATNS officials have been appointed and are currently undergoing validation. Offers are also being made to 13 additional personnel—four in approach, five in radar, and two in approach procedures. These individuals must first serve notice in their current roles and will undergo assessment in July, with operational status expected by November. Ten instructors are being sought, with four candidates interviewed so far, though none have been found suitable. An international headhunting process is underway.
In terms of communication systems—specifically computer hardware, arrivals managers, and Air Traffic Flow Management Systems—OEMs have indicated that by mid-April they will be ready to respond to bids and begin addressing issues. Ground-to-air radio communication services are being prioritised, with 10 critical services scheduled for implementation by 31 March. Work is also ongoing on direct speech services between air traffic centres and third parties, and the deployment of new data links and radios along the southern and Eastern Cape coast. ATNS has completed its capex implementation plan, which will be rolled out in the new financial year.
Progress has also been made on safety systems. The safety executive role has been re-evaluated to be at the same level as other executives, ensuring separation from operations. All CAA audit findings, along with internal ATS and technical safety findings, have been resolved. Safety investigation reports and recommendations have been implemented. A Safety Action Group now meets weekly, and a Safety Review Board will begin quarterly meetings in April. Remedial measures on high-risk findings were concluded by the end of February, and medium-risk issues are to be resolved by the end of March.
On flight procedures, Minister Creecy explained that of the approximately 300 in the system, 66 are set to expire on 10 April. These have been divided into two groups. The first includes 35 procedures for major airports such as OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka, Chief Dawid Stuurman, King Phalo, Lanseria, and George. As not all of these will be ready by 8 April, an application for a limited AMOC extension is being submitted to the CAA to allow continued use of current instrument procedures.
The second group includes procedures for Polokwane, Richards Bay, Upington, Bloemfontein (Mangaung), Mthatha, and Kruger Mpumalanga. A longer-term AMOC application will be submitted for these airports, with revised procedures expected to be submitted later in April and May.
A meeting with the CAA is scheduled, where a detailed chart outlining each procedure’s status and submission timeline will be presented. Minister Creecy noted that while the Department cannot speculate on the regulator’s decisions, the priority remains to ensure continuity at major airports, with contingency plans in place for others.
The Acting CEO of ATNS is fully aligned with these plans. As an interim measure, the intervention team is now stationed full-time at ATNS, with the aim of prioritising work and avoiding further delays.
