Pretoria - Tenants at the City of Tshwane-owned Wonderboom National Airport have accused the municipality of penalising flight schools through proposed high tariffs, which could potentially force them to close their businesses at the airport.
They were responding to a month-long public participation exercise undertaken by the City from April 4th to afford tenants a chance to comment on the draft budget for the 2022/23 financial year.
The deadline for submissions was on May 4th and tenants complained they were given short notice to make their input. “We only received a public participation notice from the offices of the airport manager on April 15th, 2022,” they said.
Their other gripe was that the link provided in the public participation notice from the airport manager’s office was not functional.
They said the proposed increases were too high, and if implemented, they were likely to run their businesses into the ground and stall economic activities at the airport in general.
If approved by council, the proposed high tariffs are expected to come into effect on July 1. “The draft operating and capital budget is tabled to facilitate community participation and receive inputs from all stakeholders, and will be refined to consider … the outcome of the public consultation process before approval,” said the budget report, compiled by chief financial officer Umar Banda.
In written submissions, tenants claimed the high tariffs were aimed at penalising them for the City’s “own inability to manage the operational costs of the airport”.
Director of Skydive Pretoria, Angelique Marie Pierry-Sharman, said: “All tenants are deeply concerned about the purpose of Wonderboom Airport, a training facility, which is not only home to flying schools and charters but provides so many people with reliable jobs. Our business, just like others, has been operating from Wonderboom Airport since the 1960s. Wonderboom Airport has been home to many airshows and world championships.”
The rate for landing fees, approach fees and ground frequency fees would collectively be increased from R179 to R1 089, which was at least a 507.70% increase, according to tenants.
The tenants said the increases would have a catastrophic effect on the profitability and sustainability of their businesses. “An increase in movement fees will have to be absorbed by our company during the current financial year as we have already committed to a fee structure with our existing students; however, in coming years (should this increase be implemented) it will have to be footed by the students, which will have the result (of) our training fees becoming too expensive and students will then go elsewhere,” said a submission.
“The majority of these students relocate to the City of Tshwane for a period of approximately two years of training, and should they acquire their training elsewhere the revenue of accommodation, meals will be lost for the already struggling hospitality industry,” the tenants said.
Pretoria News