NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO 986
DATE REPLY SUBMITTED: THURSDAY, 15 OCTOBER 2009
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: FRIDAY, 28 AUGUST 2009
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 12 â 2009)
Mr G R Krumbock (DA) asked the Minister of Transport:
(1) What are the current (a) actual and (b) required levels of air
traffic controllers (ATC) at the (i) OR Tambo, (ii) Durban, (iii) Cape
Town, (iv) Port Elizabeth and (v) East London airports;
(2) whether there are any delays in let-down flight procedures as a
result of ATC shortages; if so, (a) what are the economic costs of
such delays and (b) what steps has been taken to overcome this
problem?
NW1205E
REPLY:
The Minister of Transport:
(1) (a), (b) (i), (iii), (iv) and (v)
The number of air traffic controllers in the Air Traffic and
Navigation Services Company Limited (ATNS) (specified airports only) is
listed in the table below.
|Airport |Require|Actual|Planned and |External |% Staffing |
| |d | |current |recruitment|level |
| | | |training | |expected |
| | | | | |during |
| | | | | |the 2010 FIFA|
| | | | | |Soccer World |
| | | | | |Cup |
| | | | | | |
|OR Tambo |117 |87 |24 |4 |98% |
|Durban/La |24 |12 |11 |0 |96% |
|Mercy | | | | | |
|Cape Town |58 |38 |7 |10 |95% |
|Port |18 |14 |8 |0 |122% |
|Elizabeth | | | | | |
|East London |6 |6 |0 |2 |133% |
|Total |223 |157 |50 |16 |100% |
(2) (a)
Staff shortages in Air Traffic Control (ATC) normally translate into
airline delays. These delays can be experienced anywhere in the Air
Traffic System. At present these delays are managed in the
system prior to start up (without any engines running). There are
therefore no direct costs associated with the staff shortages.
(b)
Fifty air traffic controllers are currently being trained and an
additional 16 international air traffic controllers are being
recruited. The international controllers will only be appointed on a
fixed term employment of six months. ATNS has also entered into a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the South African Air Force
(SAAF) for the training of Aerodrome Controllers. In terms of this
MOU, six (6) ATNS personnel are currently under training at the Air
Force Command and Control School, and another six (6) will be sent in
November 2009. Six SAAF aerodrome controllers will be deployed in
ATNS air traffic service units from December 2009 for a period of a
year. The above- mentioned interventions are meant to address the ATC
staff shortages in preparation for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.
Staffing requirements beyond 2010 are being addressed through ATNSâ
internal training programme, which currently consists of 113 ATC/ATSA
bursars. Furthermore, ATNS is currently negotiating a Memorandum of
Understanding with Airways New Zealand, the air navigation service
provider of New Zealand, for the possibility of sharing information
and expertise in terms of Air Traffic Control training and other Air
Traffic Management concepts, such as safety.