LIMITED access to frontage
roads has been floated
as one of the options to
improve security at OR
Tambo International Airport
in Johannesburg.
This comes with
the publication of an
amendment to Annex
17 to the Convention on
International Civil Aviation
by the International Civil
Aviation Organization.
Under the section on
measures relating to
landside, the amendment
states: “Each Contracting
State shall ensure that
security measures are
established for landside
areas to mitigate the
risk of and to prevent
possible acts of unlawful
interference in accordance
with risk assessment
carried out by the relevant
authorities or entities.”
Leigh Gunkel-Keuler,
spokesperson for OR
Tambo International Airport,
told TNW that while the
airport was looking at
limited access to frontage
roads, it still needed to
engage stakeholders on
how. She said limiting
access to frontage roads
was being looked at as
part of a broader plan to
increase the security of the
airport, but no decision had
been made on how to do it.
“In so far as how we do
it and when we do it, that
is something we are still
working on.” She added
that it was a considerable
decision to make as there
were many stakeholders
that would be affected.
Earlier this month, the
airport announced that its
multi-disciplinary tactical
security plan was showing
results, including a number
of arrests.
The plan, outlined by
Police Minister, Fikile
Mbalula, includes vetting
all staff working in the
airport; the appointment
of a more senior police
officer at the airport;
the installation of CCTV
cameras in and around
the airport; and the
establishment of the multitask
team at the airport.
Future plans include
establishing a centralised
and integrated control
room.
Commenting on the
establishment of the
multi-task team at the
airport, Board of Airline
Representatives South
Africa ceo, June Crawford,
said the task team
had resulted in some
improvement as the team
was quick to respond.
