Limpopo
Polokwane Municipality
South Africa
Sector
Transportation
Polokwane International Airport, which was relaunched to acclaim last year, is urging freight and logistics companies to get in touch as the airport positions itself as South Africa’s newest cargo hub.
Gateway Airports Authority Limited (GAAL), the managing group behind Polokwane International, has already conducted a feasibility study on its prospects as a cargo hub with respected UK accountant and advisory firm Grant Thornton, and is currently awaiting the results.
The new Polokwane airport, which comes in time to capitalise on both the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the Confederations Cup this year, has been designed to accommodate increased traffic, with more than 200,000 passengers a year now able to flow through the airport.
In addition, Polokwane International also has a range of new facilities in place meaning the airport will be able to house additional airlines.
Why Polokwane makes the best choice
While the revamped airport will now be able to cope with increased tourism to the region, Polokwane Airport is also looking to capitalise on the airport’s location as a cargo hub for Southern Africa.
With its excellent strategic location between Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, as well as its close proximity to South Africa’s economic capital Gauteng, Polokwane Airport is ideally located to capture freight traffic.
“We see the airport as a catalyst for economic development not only for Polokwane, but for the Limpopo province and the surrounding SADC countries,” says Sipho Mthombeni, chief executive of GAAL.
Freight companies urged to get in touch
Ahead of the results of Grant Thornton’s study, Sipho Mthombeni is urging air freight companies to contact GAAL as the airport begins negotiating deals with companies wishing to take advantage of the airport’s strategic location.
“We want air freight companies to get in touch with GAAL and negotiate deals that work to the benefit of all parties to the deal genuinely,” said Mthombeni.
The argument for making Polokwane a cargo hub for traffic in the SADC region certainly has a number of advantages, not least the severe congestion of freight traffic currently being felt at OR Tambo in Johannesburg.
Companies that choose to utilise the facilities available at Polokwane International rather than OR Tambo will not only find the airport less congested but will also see an improvement on the bottom line, as prices are likely to be much cheaper, perhaps an even more compelling reason in these economically tougher times.
“The benefit in terms of freight and airline clients is competitive discounted prices that will range from 25% to 40% lower than at OR Tambo,” says Mthombeni.
Europe targeted by SA’s food producers
GAAL has already highlighted the type of cargo it expects to target, including the export of fresh produce into Europe as well as processed food from South Africa into the SADC region.
It is not just the transport of traditional cargo that can be utilised at the airport however. Mthombeni notes that GAAL could also be “used by the United Nations food distribution arm into transporting relief using our cargo terminal to facilitate an efficient process.”
The timely development of Polokwane International reflects not only the strong growth currently underway in Limpopo, but also demonstrates just how much more this fast-growing province has to offer in the years ahead.
For more information about Polokwane International Airport and the opportunities on offer, please contact Gateway Airports Authority Limited:
Contact: Sipho Mthombeni
Email: siphogm@gmail.com
Tel: +27 15 288 0122
