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At least 41 flights were affected by last week’s jet fuel shortages at OR Tambo International Airport.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says the incident was a result of a technical glitch in the storage facility.
Mbalula says 32 of the affected flights were domestic, 8 international, and 1 regional.
He conducted an oversight visit at the airport on Monday.
“We are immensely proud, except for the glitch of the fuel supply fault that we encountered. We once again apologise profusely to holidaymakers,” transport minister Fikile Mbalula said.
Mbalula made these remarks following an oversight visit to the airport on Monday to check on the work Airports Company of SA (Acsa) was doing to ensure seamless travel and assess their readiness for 2023.
Mbalula said he had received a detailed briefing from Acsa on the situation at the airport and the company was prepared to welcome people back into the country and province.
“This past week, this airport was confronted with a challenge of a technical fault between the fuel storage facility and the main hydrant system which impacted the refuelling of aircraft.
“The technical issue was as a result of the main supply valve supplying fuel to the aprons, not opening, resulting in rotational delays to domestic and international departures,” Mbalula said.
He said Acsa was swift in its response and immediately implemented a contingency measure, deploying a tanker to refuel aircraft.