South Africa confirms airport readiness ahead of G20 Summit
While flights remain unaffected during the G20 Summit, ACSA has announced major temporary access changes at OR Tambo International Airport, including road closures and rerouting of vehicles.
Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers
South Africa’s aviation sector is fully prepared to handle the arrival of world leaders and delegates for the G20 Leaders’ Summit, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy announced on Wednesday.
Speaking at a media briefing, Creecy said all ports of entry designated for the summit have completed their operational, safety, and security preparations as world leaders and delegates are set to descend in the country for the G20 Summit taking place on November 22 and 23.
Creecy said The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has led the coordination of G20 aviation operations since November 2024, working with the Department of Transport, Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), South African Airways (SAA), and national security structures.
The G20 Aviation Forum has supported the facilitation of delegates at major airports including O.R. Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka, Chief Dawid Stuurman, Polokwane, Kruger Mpumalanga, and Skukuza, throughout G20 Working Group meetings held over the past year.
Four facilities have been approved as key points of entry for heads of state and high-level dignitaries: O.R. Tambo International Airport, Lanseria International Airport, Waterkloof Air Force Base, and Fireblade Terminal.
A national dry run conducted on 25 October confirmed operational readiness across these sites. Command centres and Venue Operational Centres are now functioning around the clock, with scheduled coordination briefings twice daily and ongoing reporting to the national operations hub at NASREC.
Creecy also addressed recent power disruptions at O.R. Tambo International Airport. Outages on 1 November 11 and 16, traced to Eskom supply failures affecting the Ekurhuleni region, temporarily cut both main feeders to the airport.
She said operations continued uninterrupted thanks to backup generators and uninterruptible power supplies, and that the incidents prompted further strengthening of contingency systems.
At Waterkloof Air Force Base, airfield operations, aircraft parking, emergency services, and movement control are all confirmed ready for high-level traffic. Coordination between ATC, ATNS, and movement control has been finalised.
SAA, the official airline for the summit, has maintained full operational support for delegates and enhanced passenger services at major airports. Fireblade Terminal and Lanseria International Airport have also confirmed readiness, including fuel supply and infrastructure checks.
ACSA and ATNS have completed airspace and airport readiness measures. ATNS has activated real-time traffic coordination for the summit period, including temporary airspace restrictions over the weekend.
ACSA has bolstered staffing, technical support, and infrastructure capacity, and confirmed national fuel reserves of 54 million litres.
Passenger and aircraft movement statistics show sustained activity across ACSA’s network in the current financial year, including more than 40,000 international aircraft movements and nearly 4.8 million international passengers at O.R. Tambo alone.
Creecy said South Africa’s aviation system is “ready to deliver a safe, secure, and seamless experience” as it welcomes global leaders for the G20 Summit.