KZN looking to develop King Shaka airport as international passenger and cargo hub

08 November 2015 - 21:47 By RDM News Wire
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The Kwazulu-Natal provincial government wants to see the King Shaka International Airport become an international passenger and cargo hub that is able to service the country‚ the region and the world‚ according to KZN MEC for finance Belinda Francis Scott.

She was speaking at a gala dinner to welcome the inaugural flight by Turkish Airlines to the airport. The airline will this week launch regular flights between Durban and Istanbul.

Scott said the province’s government was cognisant of the immense role played by aviation‚ as a catalyst for the advancement of regional integration endeavours within the African continent and globally and continued to forge strategic partnerships with regional and international airlines as vehicles for regional integration.

“Increasingly‚ air transportation is playing a catalytic role in stimulating economic growth and the creation of direct and indirect jobs in the economy. Given the importance of this sector to the economy‚ Provincial Government continues to invest in strategic infrastructure that will increase the efficiency of King Shaka international airport.”

Scott reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to improving the investment climate in the province.

But she added: “Such a conducive environment includes a well-established and extended physical infrastructure‚ but also requires a stable political environment‚ a strong growing economy‚ transparent policies‚ available and appropriately skilled personnel and cost effective services‚ comparable tax rates and issues of profit repatriation.”

RDM News Wire.

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