Zimbabwe’s airports are at risk , they could cause an aviation disaster due to many short falls ranging from outdated radar, poor weather-detecting instruments, lack of sufficient emergency vehicles, inadequate fire-fighting capacity and deplorable runways.
This is contained in a report on the findings of an investigation by the parliamentary portfolio committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development on the state of Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) airport infrastructure.
“There is a risk that smuggling syndicates may utilise this opening to fly out highly valued minerals such as gold and diamonds as well as ivory out of the country. The Committee felt that if the radar system was not urgently addressed, there is generally a greater risk of aircraft collision, failure to promptly identify distressed aircraft, delays and increased operating costs of airlines.”
The outdated systems of Zimbabwe airports are posing a security risk to the region while criminal and smuggling syndicates can also take advantage of the situation to smuggle minerals and ivory out of the country without being detected.
The Parliamentary committee accessed eight major airports, namely Robert Gabriel Mugabe International (RGM), Victoria Falls International and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International, as well as Masvingo, Hwange, Kariba, Charles Prince and Buffalo Range regional airports.
The report for Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport reads,
“The committee on its visit to Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport noted that the radar system in use was outdated and requiring an upgrade. The situation poses a risk of not getting spare parts to support system operations which potentially results in the radar system totally crashing. In addition, use of an outdated radar system may result in the airspace being compromised and planes flying in and out of the country undetected which could pose regional security threats,”
The committee also showed it's concern about the air traffic mangement system and said ,
“CAAZ needs to procure an air traffic management system and upgrade its tower control equipment systems at all CAAZ airports by November 2021 to ensure safety of air traffic control within Zimbabwe and mitigate against aviation disasters,”
The committee report paints a poor picture of the state of affairs at the country’s airports and with the CAAZ was rendered questionable to implement any turnaround strategies of airports while some airports had run out of land for expansion projects.
A major risk to passengers was also due to a shortage emergency standby vehicles and inadequate fire tenders, among other deficiencies, necessary for safety.
“The Committee observed that only Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport had a working ambulance emergency vehicle and emergency operators in the vicinity of the airport. The rest of the airports, that is Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International, Victoria Falls International, Charles Prince, Masvingo, Kariba and Hwange National Park airports all had defective ambulance vehicles and were relying on externally-owned ambulance vehicles,” the report reveals.
“The committee observed that there were no readily available fire tenders at some of the airports. In this regard, smaller airports such as Masvingo and Hwange National Park were relying on assistance from surrounding stakeholders."
In 2017, modernization drive showed some hope, when the former Transport minister Joram Gumbo allowed the CAAZ board to award a US$33 million contract to Indra Sistemas and Homt Espana SA for the upgradation of the airspace control system without going through a tender system.
Since then, the critical project has been caught up in a constant battle between the military and CAAZ with different companies lined up to supply the equipment.
Around nine airlines are operating into Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, that includes flag bearer Air Zimbabwe, Fastjet , Airlink and some international airlines like Ethiopian Airlines and Emirates.
