Wonderboom community vows to cut grass amid fears of flight cancellations
Members of the Wonderboom Airport Interest Group (WAIG) say they will be cutting the grass at Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria following fears that flights will no longer be allowed to depart or land.
“The grass is so long that it has become a safety hazard. The landing lights are not very visible at night,” says the group’s chairperson, Christian Maiorana.
WAIG represents the almost 50 businesses at the airport.
At least 2 000 people are employed at several establishments at the airport.
Maiorana says pilots are placing pressure on the manager of the airport.
It resulted in an alert being issued on Thursday afternoon preventing any aircraft to land or depart at night.
“It was an impulse decision, he didn’t give anybody time, it is absolutely ridicules and we gave him many other options rather than closing the airport,” Maiorana says.
He adds officials of the airport agreed to retract the notice to the airmen.
“Rather leave the airport open and put a notice in whereby the pilots know that there is a total downgrade and they can communicate among themselves.”
Maiorana says they will be gathering themselves to cut the grass.
Acting Tshwane mayor, Abel Tau denied the claim that the airport is on the brink of being closed.
“I can only see good things happening when it comes to Wonderboom Airport.”
He threw his weight being a consulting firm tasked with turning around the tide of the airport, admitting that it has been neglected.