Latest news with #AirportsCompanyofSouthAfrica
IOL News
2 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Airports Company of South Africa's leadership shake-up follows significant security breach fine
The Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) has remained mum over reports that it has been fined R1.5 million by the SA Civil Aviation Authority for security-related breaches. Image: File Image While the Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) has remained mum over the alleged R1.5 million fine imposed by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), the authority has confirmed having recently imposed an undisclosed fine against Acsa for alleged security-related breaches. The fine comes as Acsa confirmed that it has placed its group executive for enterprise security and compliance, Lieutenant General Mzwandile Petros, on precautionary suspension as investigations commence into troubling allegations of operational irregularities. On Saturday, in a statement, Acsa revealed that Petros has been replaced by Mary Ann Joubert, who has been appointed to act in the post. "Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) has placed the Group Executive: Enterprise Security and Compliance (GE: ESC), Lt General, Mzwandile Petros, on precautionary suspension pending the outcome of an independent investigation into allegations of operational irregularities. The decision to place the GE: ESC on precautionary suspension is a crucial measure to protect the integrity of the investigative process and any current and subsequent processes," Acsa said. 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 The airports company said Petros' suspension will not hamper its day-to-day operations, with Acsa emphasising that the suspension is precautionary and does not imply guilt, but allows for a fair and unbiased investigation. Reacting to the fine, SACCA spokesperson, Sisa Majola, stated that the aviation authority had acted in the best interest, security, and safety of the public and passengers when it imposed this penalty against Acsa. "Consistent with the SACAA mandate of regulating aviation safety and security, the Regulator confirms that enforcement action, including a fine, was meted out against Acsa on security-related matters. The regulations allow operators to make representations, which, upon submission, are evaluated. The enforcement processes allow operators to appeal against an enforcement decision; hence, the matter is still in progress as guided by the regulatory processes," Majola said. While Acsa assured the public that airport operations, including security and compliance, remain uninterrupted, some affected parties have disagreed, saying this is not the case following recent reports of delays and long lines in some of the affected airports. According to a source, the alleged R1.5 million fine forced Acsa to beg Fidelity Security to assist in covering the King Shaka International Airport, even though the company's contract had lapsed on June 30, 2025, following Acsa's decision to insource its security screening personnel across its nine airports in the country. "Ironically, Acsa had retrenched many of its security screening personnel in 2021, citing cost-cutting measures, with many experienced aviation safety officers taking voluntary severance packages. Fast Forward 2025, the same Acsa management has terminated contract security agreements in favour of insourcing personnel. Even after they were warned on the ballooning cost effect of such a move," the source said. Attempts to get a comment from Acsa were unsuccessful at the time of going to print, following numerous requests for comment last week.
IOL News
08-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Unpaid security guards plan picket at airports amid salary disputes
Passengers at OR Tambo International Airport experienced chaos on Tuesday as they faced significant delays at security checkpoints, prompting widespread frustration and confusion. However, the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) has categorically denied claims that these disruptions were linked to the non-payment of security contractors. Image: File Scores of security guards previously employed by Venus International Security to man some of the country's airports have threatened to picket at the affected airports after they were not paid their June salaries and severance packages by the security company, which was contracted by the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA). This comes as ACSA has denied that the long lines at some of its airports, including at the OR Tambo International Airport this week, were caused by the non-payment of security contractors. It is reported that more than 200 former Venus International Security guards, who also now find themselves without jobs in Bloemfontein, Upington, and Kimberly, have also not been considered for the insourcing process currently undertaken by the airports company, leaving many of them disillusioned. On Tuesday, passengers at OR Tambo International Airport faced significant delays reportedly due to what ACSA described as operational disruptions at airport security checkpoints. 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 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. Next Stay Close ✕ However, according to the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), in the Northern Cape the failure by Venus to address the matter while removing its assets at four major airports, including the Kimberly, Upington, and Bloemfontein, while workers' salaries have not been paid is deeply concerning, which is why the union has written to ACSA to resolve the matter. "It has come to our attention that Venus is busy removing all company belongings from all ACSA properties. The company is doing this firstly without making sure workers have been paid what is owed to them. "As Numsa, we are going to take the following steps if monies are not released before the close of business. We are going to picket at all airports in Kimberly, Bloemfontein, and Upington. We will also urgently interdict everything, including Venus's bank accounts. ACSA is Cced above to rebut these claims," said Numsa regional representative, Elliot Mohatlhane, on Sunday. Mohatlhane has also slammed Venus for its failure to pay workers what is due to them, saying:" If all our engagements with ACSA and Venus fail, we will be forced to picket at some of the airports as ACSA has also failed to insource our workers who are already familiar with the aviation industry," he said. Machine Hlongwane and Hendrick Kekana, from Venus International Security, blamed ACSA for the non-payment of their workers following an unfulfilled promise by the airports company. "Venus International is unable to pay salaries for June 2025. This is because ACSA had promised to pay Venus a specific settlement amount on 30 June 2025. We are still waiting for ACSA to make good on its promise. Whereafter, we will pass the amounts due to our former employees. We urge workers to be patient while we are still waiting for ACSA to keep the promise made to Venus," Kekana said. A Venus employee, who did not want to be named, revealed that the alleged non-payment by ACSA has affected their livelihoods, adding that the insourcing of workers has not been fair, as most of them were not considered. "We don't know where the problem lies because we, as Venus employees, were notified that the contract is coming to an end on the 30th of June 2025 between ACSA and Venus. We were supposed to receive our June salaries from our employer, but we don't know why at this stage we didn't get our salaries, and no one is talking to us about why we didn't get our salaries," he said. With the termination of the Venus contract, ACSA said it considers the Venus matter closed as their agreement has come to an end, as the insourcing of employees gets under way. "The operational challenges encountered on Tuesday, 1 July 2025, at OR Tambo International Airport are not related to the alleged non-payment of contractors by ACSA. Venus International is a recognised contractor with ACSA, with whom our contractual relationship ended on 30 June 2025. "Annual increments that accrued to Venus International at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic were due to the service provider, and following extensive mediated talks, the two contracting parties settled. We now consider that matter closed as ACSA is implementing a new sourcing strategy at all ACSA Airports," the entity stated.
