SA targets 42 million passengers through airports by 2029
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy says in recognition of the key role aviation can play in economic development, her department is targeting to reach 42 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of air freight through the Airports Company of South Africa's (Acsa) network of airports by 2029.
Creecy made the remarks at the 3rd Next Generation of Aviation Professionals Global Summit being held at the Durban ICC.
The three-day event, which commenced on Tuesday, aims to address aviation's urgent need for millions of new skilled professionals to work in the aviation sector globally.
Acsa capital programme
Creecy said Acsa has a major capital programme that they want to roll out over the next three years.
'It includes a new cargo terminal at OR Tambo International Airport, as well as upgrading passenger facilities at our other network of airports. Of course, we work a lot with other departments in government.
'Minister [Patricia] de Lille in the tourism sector is very responsible for bringing visitors to our country. Obviously, Minister [Parks] Tau in Trade and Industry is also helping us to position aviation as an enabler of the African Free Trade area, and I think that working together with those other departments, we are in a position to boost the travel footprint in our airports and also to increase the amount of cargo that we would be Moving by air,' Creecy said.
AVIATION GLOBAL PROFESSIONAL SUMMIT
[WATCH] The Minister of Transport @BarbaraCreecy_ delivering a keynote address @icao 80 next Generation of Aviation Professionals Global Summit in Durban#ICAOGlobalSummit @GovernmentZA pic.twitter.com/VcmB3p5Oim — Department of Transport (@Dotransport) August 12, 2025
ALSO READ: Creecy steps in to resolve dispute over Acsa baggage screening services
New opportunities
Meanwhile, the South African Civil Aviation Commission (Sacca) at the summit, emphasised the need to create new opportunities for the next generation in the aviation sector.
Sacca director Poppy Khoza said the aviation regulator understands that the future of the industry is inextricably linked to our ability to attract, train and retain young talent.
'We are proud to have aligned our youth development initiatives with ICAO's [International Civil Aviation Organization] Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) strategy — a vision we support not only in principle, but through deliberate and sustained action,' Khoza said.
'As South Africa and the Sacaa in particular, by raising our hand in this critical discussion on building skills and young talent, we are hopefully demonstrating the urgency by which we view this initiative
'Our aim is to transform lives, ensure that potential is realised and we wish to redirect futures in a way that will contribute to this very important industry that directly influence socio-economic growth,' she said.
NOW READ: Aviation Co-ordination Services rejects Acsa claims over OR Tambo grenade security breach
Aviation professionals
Secretary-general of the of the ICAO Juan Carlos Salazar stressed the importance of professionals in the aviation sector.
'Every time we board an aircraft, our safety and comfort depend on the skills of dozens of aviation professionals, most of whom we never see.'
Salazar said these professionals represent just a fraction of the global aviation workforce that connects the world.
'By the time today's toddlers are graduating from high school, ICAO forecasts that global air transport will need over one million cabin crew alone.
'We will need almost 700 000 aircraft maintenance engineers and technicians, and almost as many pilots. Over 130 000 air traffic controllers will need to be trained and recruited,' Salazar said.
The energy is electric in Durban as delegates from across the globe touch down for the NGAP Global Summit 2025.
From aviation trailblazers to next-gen innovators, the brightest minds are gathering to Innovate. Educate. Inspire.
This is where ideas take flight, connections are… pic.twitter.com/UigwTVdur8 — SA Civil Aviation Authority – SACAA (@OfficialSACAA) August 12, 2025
Technology
Salazar said revolutionary technologies are reshaping aviation sector, whole automation, AI and advanced air mobility are transforming our airspace.
He added that digitalisation and data analytics are enhancing operations and sustainability solutions are driving the path to net-zero emissions.
Salazar said the 2025 NGAP Global Summit will be remembered as a 'key milestone in the scaling up and refinement of this programme as we achieve these ambitions'.
Ambassadors
The summit coincides with the launch of the new ICAO Global Ambassadors Programme, a flagship initiative that will mobilise passionate aviation professionals from around the world to serve as role models, advocates and messengers for our industry.
The volunteers will visit schools, mentor youth and engage with communities to make aviation careers more visible and accessible to all.
ALSO READ: Millions of litres of jet fuel secured to address OR Tambo shortage
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The Citizen
8 hours ago
- The Citizen
SA targets 42 million passengers through airports by 2029
Acsa has a major capital program that they want to roll out over the next three years. Transport Minister Barbara Creecy says in recognition of the key role aviation can play in economic development, her department is targeting to reach 42 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of air freight through the Airports Company of South Africa's (Acsa) network of airports by 2029. Creecy made the remarks at the 3rd Next Generation of Aviation Professionals Global Summit being held at the Durban ICC. The three-day event, which commenced on Tuesday, aims to address aviation's urgent need for millions of new skilled professionals to work in the aviation sector globally. Acsa capital programme Creecy said Acsa has a major capital programme that they want to roll out over the next three years. 'It includes a new cargo terminal at OR Tambo International Airport, as well as upgrading passenger facilities at our other network of airports. Of course, we work a lot with other departments in government. 'Minister [Patricia] de Lille in the tourism sector is very responsible for bringing visitors to our country. Obviously, Minister [Parks] Tau in Trade and Industry is also helping us to position aviation as an enabler of the African Free Trade area, and I think that working together with those other departments, we are in a position to boost the travel footprint in our airports and also to increase the amount of cargo that we would be Moving by air,' Creecy said. AVIATION GLOBAL PROFESSIONAL SUMMIT [WATCH] The Minister of Transport @BarbaraCreecy_ delivering a keynote address @icao 80 next Generation of Aviation Professionals Global Summit in Durban#ICAOGlobalSummit @GovernmentZA — Department of Transport (@Dotransport) August 12, 2025 ALSO READ: Creecy steps in to resolve dispute over Acsa baggage screening services New opportunities Meanwhile, the South African Civil Aviation Commission (Sacca) at the summit, emphasised the need to create new opportunities for the next generation in the aviation sector. Sacca director Poppy Khoza said the aviation regulator understands that the future of the industry is inextricably linked to our ability to attract, train and retain young talent. 'We are proud to have aligned our youth development initiatives with ICAO's [International Civil Aviation Organization] Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) strategy — a vision we support not only in principle, but through deliberate and sustained action,' Khoza said. 'As South Africa and the Sacaa in particular, by raising our hand in this critical discussion on building skills and young talent, we are hopefully demonstrating the urgency by which we view this initiative 'Our aim is to transform lives, ensure that potential is realised and we wish to redirect futures in a way that will contribute to this very important industry that directly influence socio-economic growth,' she said. NOW READ: Aviation Co-ordination Services rejects Acsa claims over OR Tambo grenade security breach Aviation professionals Secretary-general of the of the ICAO Juan Carlos Salazar stressed the importance of professionals in the aviation sector. 'Every time we board an aircraft, our safety and comfort depend on the skills of dozens of aviation professionals, most of whom we never see.' Salazar said these professionals represent just a fraction of the global aviation workforce that connects the world. 'By the time today's toddlers are graduating from high school, ICAO forecasts that global air transport will need over one million cabin crew alone. 'We will need almost 700 000 aircraft maintenance engineers and technicians, and almost as many pilots. Over 130 000 air traffic controllers will need to be trained and recruited,' Salazar said. The energy is electric in Durban as delegates from across the globe touch down for the NGAP Global Summit 2025. From aviation trailblazers to next-gen innovators, the brightest minds are gathering to Innovate. Educate. Inspire. This is where ideas take flight, connections are… — SA Civil Aviation Authority – SACAA (@OfficialSACAA) August 12, 2025 Technology Salazar said revolutionary technologies are reshaping aviation sector, whole automation, AI and advanced air mobility are transforming our airspace. He added that digitalisation and data analytics are enhancing operations and sustainability solutions are driving the path to net-zero emissions. Salazar said the 2025 NGAP Global Summit will be remembered as a 'key milestone in the scaling up and refinement of this programme as we achieve these ambitions'. Ambassadors The summit coincides with the launch of the new ICAO Global Ambassadors Programme, a flagship initiative that will mobilise passionate aviation professionals from around the world to serve as role models, advocates and messengers for our industry. The volunteers will visit schools, mentor youth and engage with communities to make aviation careers more visible and accessible to all. ALSO READ: Millions of litres of jet fuel secured to address OR Tambo shortage
IOL News
9 hours ago
- IOL News
Aviation's future workforce: Adapting to technological transformation
Ben Stanley, CEO of Firstfruits; Gary Vermaak, Chief of Staff at the Advisory Advanced Air Mobility Institute; Musayeroh Barrie, Director General of the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA); Thabani Myeza, Director of Africa Affairs at the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO); Khangi Khoza, Executive Chair of the Board of Swissport South Africa; and Christian Schleifer, Austria's representative on the ICAO Council, at the ICAO Next Generation of Aviation Professionals Global Summit at the Durban ICC. Image: Supplied In an era of unprecedented technological advancements, aviation leaders convened at the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) Next Generation of Aviation Professionals Global Summit at the ICC in Durban this week, where a panel of experts explored the future of the workforce in the aviation industry. ICAO forecasts suggest that by 2037, over 665,000 aircraft maintenance technicians, 554,000 pilots, 922,000 cabin crew members, and 106,000 air traffic controllers will be needed. Christian Schleifer, Austria's representative on the ICAO Council, moderated a panel discussion titled 'The future of work in aviation - Adapting to the industry transformation'. Schleifer emphasised the necessity of adapting to industry changes to achieve ICAO's 2050 vision of CO2 neutrality and zero fatalities, while ensuring no country or potential is left behind. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading He stated that there is an immediate need for the industry to leverage the computational power and performance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to augment, rather than replace, human capabilities or safety solutions. In aviation automation, he said the goal is to maximise efficiency by providing pilots with timely and accurate information, enabling them to make optimal decisions. 'The future of work in aviation will be more interdisciplinary, more collaborative, and more digitally driven than ever before, but it will also demand human skills, adaptability, curiosity, and the courage to challenge the status quo,' said Schleifer. Schleifer posed the question: What is the most critical shift — cultural, structural, or regulatory —that must occur to truly enable the workforce and workplace to adapt to the impending transformation? Gary Vermaak, chief of staff at Advisory Advanced Air Mobility Institute, said we are now approaching what is called aviation 3.0, which is the third and electric era of aviation. In 2020, Vermaak recounted how an Airbus A350, with two pilots aboard for safety, completed a full flight circuit from taxi to take-off, landing, and parking. He said this made people question whether there will still be pilots by 2050. Vermaak said perhaps Boeing and Wisk will have operator supervisors with pilots ensuring smooth operations and ready to intervene. However, he said there is a significant skills gap due to the electric and autonomous age, requiring attention for both current and future aviation professionals. Vermaak noted that current technicians and mechanics lack exposure to electronics, high-voltage electricity, autonomous flight, and basic vehicle operation systems. He stressed the importance of training technical staff for future maintenance of these systems. Future changes will affect all aspects, said Vermaak, including urban air traffic control, which faces challenges like limited space, bottlenecks, building-related hazards, and the integration of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and drones into shared airspace. 'We need completely new skills. We need to make bigger use of AI, supercomputers, and neural networks…We need to create a workforce that can adapt to that and also be able to lead the charge.' He said not only does the industry need to go to universities but also to schools from Grade 1 to get the next generation involved in aviation. Today's children, fascinated by technology, will drive the increasing integration of AI and supercomputers into the industry, he said. Khangi Khoza, executive chair of the board of Swissport South Africa, said the biggest shift expected is around predictive workforce strategies. Khoza believes that the industry will shift from a reactive to a proactive workforce strategy, largely driven by AI. It is important to remember that AI's effectiveness is directly dependent on the quality of the data it receives, she said. 'The industry challenge that we all have to address is on skills, what type of skills and the type of people we recruit into the industry to make the data and the type of skills we recruit for, much richer for the future,' said Khoza. She further stated that for global frameworks to be effective, they must be localised. 'In the local context, you also need the companies to breathe life into that. Now there are various ways you can do that, and we can look forward to an environment that's enabled by technology. For that, we're going to need a better-skilled workforce, and we're going to have to rely a lot more on data,' she said. Musayeroh Barrie, director general, Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA), said in her experience, what has given them the best results is focusing on a cultural shift. Barrie said continuous learning and adaptability must be embraced. 'I believe if we foster a mindset of developing this environment where young people can experiment while at work, figure out learning patterns, and shift patterns that work for them, we will see enhanced delivery.' At the same time, she said the industry needs to ensure that regulatory and structural changes support that. She said AI should be introduced in safe spaces where information is shared. 'We need to look at preparing people, not just processes. I think we talk a lot about procedures and processes, but none of that would be successful without the people implementing them.' Barrie questioned how we could talk about creating a digital environment if we do not know the digital literacy levels of people in our communities. 'How do we prepare people for AI if we don't understand our local tech ecosystem? So data research is essential to how we get there,' she said. Thabani Myeza, director of Africa Affairs at the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), agreed that a corporate and industry cultural shift is critical. This shift allows outsiders to see us more clearly and helps us to recognise previously unseen aspects, he said. 'That culture will also require a change in the way we do our rigid roles, our manual processes, and we need to move that to a more future-focused way of thinking,' he said. Myeza emphasised that this reflects collaborative automation, where systems and people work together, rather than individually or operators working in isolation. He recalled that when he started consulting years ago, there were people, processes, and technology. 'Now, it's a continuous cycle and we are pushing the machines to do more than what they used to do, but at the same time, the machines are pushing us to do more than what we used to do.' Ben Stanley, CEO of Firstfruits, which helps organisations across different sectors change worldwide, said when speaking to people in the aviation industry, many talk about a 'new generation' coming and fear the unknown. Stanley highlighted authentic and empowering leadership as a crucial shift. This type of leadership, he explained, grants access to essential resources, fostering co-creation. 'We believe in the next generation. They're phenomenal and they experiment… They will be able to solve many of the problems we are looking at in aviation if we allow them to co-create.' He said the next generation is not given the opportunity because the industry is correctly fearful of increasing risk or decreasing standards in aviation. 'Therefore, we protect ways of working and we value, correctly, experience… We have a healthy unease in our industry of ensuring safety, ensuring security, ensuring that passengers have flown from A to B well,' he said. Stanley cautioned that a poorly executed approach could cause the industry to revert to a familiar identity and role, potentially hindering the progress of the next generation due to fear of the unknown. 'Embracing openness is so important. One of the big characteristics of Gen Z now is that, instead of duty, where you and I might do our duty and say we have to do a seven-and-a-half-hour working day, they embrace impact. They're looking for impact. So we can explore that a bit more,' he said.
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Breaking barriers: Women and youth in aviation careers
Pupils from various schools explore the exhibitions at the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) Next Generation of Aviation Professionals Global Summit at the ICC in Durban. Image: Supplied A panel discussion at the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) Next Generation of Aviation Professionals Global Summit at the ICC in Durban on Wednesday focused on the real and persistent obstacles that stand in the way of entering and thriving in aviation careers for women, youth, and underserved communities. The panel of leaders in the industry explored the theme 'Breaking barriers to aviation careers: Funding, inclusion and access solutions.' The event was hosted by ICAO in collaboration with the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA). Thobile Masooa, human resources executive at the SACAA, said Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subject involvement remains a challenge, with the uptake by pupils being very low. Teacher shortages and a lack of infrastructure hinder subject offerings in rural schools, she said. Masooa said access to funding is a fundamental issue within this industry. 'If you look at our government's National Fund scheme (NSFAS), it sponsors mostly students who are in public universities, and some of our aviation training takes place in the private sector,' said Masooa. Masooa announced that SACAA has collaborated with the industry to launch a programme aimed at integrating aviation qualifications into the National Qualifications Framework, where a licence would be comparable to a bachelor's qualification. Ellah Wafula, an aircraft maintenance engineer from the Association for Women in Aviation (AWAM) in Kenya, highlighted the significant financial barrier to studying aviation. She noted that the high cost of aviation courses makes them inaccessible to many passionate and talented individuals who aspire to join the field. Wafula called for funded African pathways to be created to prevent losing a generation of talented, skilled, and passionate innovators who lack access. She also called for girls to get early exposure to the industry and structured mentorship. Captain Zoya Agarwal, senior commander at Air India and a UN Women Advocate, who is the youngest Indian woman to command a Boeing 747, called for children to be introduced to aviation at a grassroots level. 'I'm talking kindergarten, nursery [school], where the government could possibly step in and have things like storybooks or fun ways of engagement,' she said. Agarwal said children often dream big, but these dreams can be crushed by the reality of their environment. This could be due to parents, friends, or society being unaware of aviation opportunities, misinformed about roles, or fearing risks (even though aviation is one of the safest professions). She championed the Role Model, Representation, and Repetition (RRR) model, promoting continuous industry representation by aviation role models. Kim James, director of UAV Aerial Works, who deals with the drone operation, manufacturing, and training sector, said a key limiting factor is the lack of planned, purposeful, and considered funding programmes. James said while funding models do exist, they do not result in 'work-ready candidates". She noted that these programmes, designed for outlying communities, lead to ineffective funding as certified candidates return to job-scarce areas. According to James, a common misconception is that one can only be a drone pilot. She suggested assessing dropouts for non-certified industry roles to utilise their prior training. James advocated for schooling system reform. She noted that school leavers lack basic road safety knowledge and driving skills. 'We employ youth, which in our context is 18 to 34, and 50% of all of our candidates that apply for any of our jobs either do not have driver's licences or cannot drive, which means I cannot hire them,' she said.
