Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
19 March 2025 | 15:30 CAT

Air Traffic & Navigation Services failures are increasingly resulting in grounded flights and risks to passenger safety. Source, Daily Maverick. (Photo: Jocelyn Adamson)

South Africa’s Air Traffic & Navigation Services (ATNS) is at the center of a growing crisis, with outdated procedures and leadership failures threatening both flight safety and economic stability. Aviation expert Guy Leitch warns that the situation has escalated into a full-blown aviation crisis, as flights are increasingly delayed or diverted due to ineffective air traffic management.

The crisis has been years in the making, with a steady exodus of skilled professionals leaving the organization due to deteriorating working conditions. “Most of the best talent has left for greener or sandier pastures, such as the Middle East or Australia,” Leitch told Radio Islam International. He attributes this talent drain to a toxic work environment, where leadership appointments have been driven by political connections rather than competency.

The recent suspension of ATNS CEO Nozipho Mdawe has further exposed the extent of the dysfunction within the organization. Leitch points out that Mdawe previously held a leadership role at Transnet Ports, which plummeted to being ranked the worst in the world under her tenure. “Her appointment was part of a broader malaise of cronyism that has crippled ATNS,” he adds.

One of the major concerns is the shortage of air traffic controllers, which has forced controllers to manage up to four sectors at once—well beyond safe limits. “This is what causes accidents,” Leitch stresses, noting that such overstretching of personnel can have catastrophic consequences.

Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy has acknowledged the crisis, but efforts to restore stability have been slow. ATNS has applied for further delays in approving 326 unapproved instrument procedures, compounding the risk to the aviation sector. The failure of these procedures was starkly highlighted when FlySafair’s relaunch of its Cape Town-George route was disrupted due to ATNS inefficiencies.

Experts argue that swift action is needed, with Leitch advocating for an urgent recall of skilled professionals who left the industry. “Many of those who left took early retirement and could be enticed back with proper incentives,” he suggests.

With flight safety and economic stability at stake, stakeholders are calling for immediate interventions to overhaul leadership, reinstate skilled personnel, and expedite regulatory approvals. Whether ATNS can recover from this crisis will depend on decisive action in the coming months.

Listen to the full interview on Your World Today with Annisa Essack Guy Leitch here.