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The Mthatha-based King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality in the Eastern Cape has called on more airlines to join SA Express in servicing the Mthatha route to ensure increased competition and reduced ticket prices.
This, after the carrier’s acting CEO, Siza Mzimela, announced new routes for Mthata Airport last week.
Hailing the news, spokesperson for the municipality Sonwabo Mampoza said it would open up potential to grow and develop Mthatha’s economy.
The additional routes will see the airline fly to Cape Town and East London – flying from East London to Mthatha, and Mthatha to Cape Town.
Mzimela made the announcement during a stakeholder meeting in Mthatha, attended by members of the SA Express board and provincial government delegates.
The routes will be a first for the town, which previously only offered flights between Mthatha Airport and OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
“This move is going to assist in boosting the economy of Mthatha and the greater King Sabata Dalindyebo municipal area,” said Mzimela. “Since the upgrade to Mthatha Airport has been completed, we have seen many other airlines showing an interest in servicing this route.
“But we are worried that if there is no competition, there could be problems. For example, when SA Airlink was the only carrier servicing the Mthatha-Joburg route, tickets were expensive and few people used the route. Many opted to drive to East London from Mthatha to board flights at East London Airport.”
He expressed the hope that Mthatha’s citizens would benefit from being able to fly directly to Cape Town and to fly from East London straight to Mthatha.
Vuyisile Ntlabati, president of the Eastern Cape Chamber of Business, said there had been various attempts over the years to facilitate these new routes.
He echoed Mzimela’s sentiments, saying: “It is going to boost the economy of Mthatha, and nobody is going to travel to East London to get a flight to Cape Town. Doing so forced people to book accommodation in East London, put petrol in their cars and travel on long and dangerous roads. Now everything is going to happen here in Mthatha.
“There will be many benefits and positive spinoffs for Mthatha and other businesses that are going to come from this. We have been trying to have this route in operation since 2006, but always hit a wall. Now that it is here, we cherish it,” Ntlabati said, adding that there was room for more airlines to join in as Mthatha offered many business opportunities.
The Cape Town–Mthatha–East London route is expected to start on November 15. An additional flight between Mthatha and Johannesburg is set to start on December 10.
Eastern Cape Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe also praised the introduction of the routes: “This is great news for two of the growth regions earmarked in the provincial development plan, launched by premier Oscar Mabuyane last week and which he mentioned in his state of the province address back in June, when he outlined a 10-year economic development plan for the Eastern Cape. The plan includes projects such as the N2 Wild Coast highway, the Wild Coast meander and the Wild Coast special economic zone, as well as revitalisation projects.
“We also believe that the new routes will go a long way in reducing congestion on the R61 from the Western Cape border to the eastern side of the province as it is one of the busiest corridors during the festive season and the site of many fatal crashes.”
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