South Africa’s Air Traffic Navigation System (ATNS) has come under fire over inflated board fees allegedly paid to two former board members in 2021.

The ATNS is said to have overpaid these board members by R355,084 after receiving fraudulent claims, whistleblowers said.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has demanded that Transport Minister Barbara Creecy launch an official probe into the matter, should the board members fail to do the right thing and pay the money back.

The DA also alleges that the former Transport Minister, before Creecy, was aware of the matter, but did not intervene. This led to the ATNS writing off the funds as fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

The party says further allegations point to a former board member also sitting on the uMngeni-uThukela Water Board, which would have required a public disclosure in terms of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).

Near collapse of navigation systems

In September the ATNS submitted a detailed turnaround plan following the near collapse of its systems, which risked the country’s airspace being downgraded. This came after a “festival of errors” shut down smaller local airports.

“Our country cannot afford a failing ATNS. Airline passengers cannot plan travel, with uncertainty of their airport being open and functional on the day they travel,” the DA said.

“Passengers being forced to endure cancelled flights leads to the loss of enormous amounts of money: Missed connections, missed business, missed opportunities, missed events and engagement, lost time with family or family holidays. It is unacceptable in a country that has few other transport options linking many cities.

“If Minister Creecy acts, it will help to establish financial discipline at ATNS and will help to ensure a fit for purpose entity, where passengers can travel timeously and affordably.”

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Air navigation entity board members under pressure to cough up ‘overpaid’ board fees