By Thapelo Molefe
The Select Committee on Finance has urged government to take decisive action on the future of the Mahikeng Airport in the North West, following years of controversy, mismanagement, and uncertainty surrounding the dormant facility.
During a two-day oversight visit to the province this week, the committee inspected the airport and received a briefing from the provincial Department of Community Safety and Transport Management on possible plans to repurpose the facility into a cargo hub, aviation training school, or aircraft maintenance centre.
The department estimated that at least R1 billion would be needed to refurbish and upgrade the airport’s infrastructure.
The Mahikeng Airport, officially known as the George Dick Montshioa International Airport, opened in 1984 but ceased commercial operations in 2014 due to low passenger demand.
Despite its closure, the provincial department continues to spend around R5 million annually on maintenance and security.
Committee chairperson Sanny Ndhlovu commended the department for safeguarding the airport as a public asset, noting that the infrastructure remains largely intact. However, she stressed that government must now make a “clear, high-level decision” on its future to prevent further financial waste and reputational damage.
“The committee calls for a decisive, high-level decision by the relevant government authorities on the future use of the Mahikeng Airport,” Ndhlovu said.
“The facility has potential to contribute to economic growth and job creation in the province, but this will require clear direction, proper planning, and sufficient investment.”
The call comes in the wake of months of political drama and conflicting reports over the airport’s use. Earlier this year, the North West Department of Transport faced heavy criticism after videos surfaced of MEC Mosimanegape Morweng confronting alleged “illegal occupants” at the facility, a claim that was later proven false.
An inter-agency inspection in May found no evidence of illegal occupation, despite viral social media claims that Nigerian nationals had been living and operating flights at the airport without authorisation.
The probe revealed that two accredited flight schools, Paramount Aviation Academy and African Union Aviation Academy, were operating with valid registrations from the Civil Aviation Authority.
However, the investigation also uncovered administrative failures within the provincial department, which had failed to renew lease agreements and collect rental income from the aviation schools. Paramount Aviation, for example, was found to have an expired lease while continuing to pay no rent, resulting in a potential loss of provincial revenue.
A report compiled by the department’s communications director, Oshebeng Koonyaditse, confirmed that “the department has lost potential revenue from the operation of the two schools as the lease agreement is held with a company whose contract with the department has ended”.
The saga prompted the North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety and Transport Management, chaired by Freddy Sonakile, to launch its own probe earlier this year.
Sonakile lambasted the department’s failure to enforce proper lease controls and rent collection, warning that “unauthorised and rent-free occupation of government property not only undermines the rule of law but opens the door to corruption and mismanagement”.
Despite these controversies, the Select Committee on Finance acknowledged during its latest visit that the airport’s facilities remain structurally sound and could play a key role in regional economic growth if effectively repurposed.
“This is a valuable public asset that must not be left idle,” Ndhlovu emphasised.
“The committee will continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the final decision on Mahikeng Airport reflects the best interests of the people of the North West.”
The committee also applauded the provincial Department of Public Works and Roads for progress made on other infrastructure projects, including the near completion of the Mahikeng Nursing College and upgrades to roads D933 and D2095.
Comprehensive written reports on all projects, including the airport, have been requested from the provincial departments and will inform the committee’s final oversight report and recommendations to parliament.
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