Pilanesberg Airport Fire: Economic sabotage or negligence?
30 August 2023
The DA requests the North West Provincial Government and the SAPS to investigate the possibility of economic sabotage in the province. This call comes after the growing sporadic fires targeting critical infrastructure within the province, such as yesterday's fire at Pilanesberg Airport, which caused serious damage to the facility’s infrastructure.
We appreciate the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management's undertaking to investigate the Pilanesberg Airport fire; however, we believe closer scrutiny must be given as there appears to be much more behind these fires.
Critical infrastructure has been engulfed by fire leaving a trail of destruction in North West over the last few years, specifically, yesterday’s Pilanesberg Airport, then Christiana Hospital, the Mmabatho Palms Resort, a section of the Department of Social Development’s offices, a section of the Department of Agriculture’s offices, the Lichtenburg Waste Tyre Depot, and the Potchefstroom Train Station, not to mention the massive veld fires destroying tens of hectares of vegetation, livestock and property.
The DA conducted an unannounced oversight inspection at the Pilanesberg Airport on 11 August 2023. We were escorted to the Tower by the Air Traffic Controller. We came across an open, unmanned server room, which in itself posed a serious fire risk. (See images here, here and here)