THE Swakopmund airport might be sold because no agreement could be reached on the renewal of the lease agreement between Swakopmund Airfield CC and the Swakopmund Municipality.
This was a recommendation made at a special council meeting held on Monday.After several meetings between the municipality and the leaseholder led to dead ends, the council decided to look at other options.The matter was compounded by complaints from operators, hangar owners and service providers about the deteriorating state of the facilities at the airport.Since February, Swakopmund Airfield CC has been negotiating a possible extension of the lease, which expires on October 31.The municipality was not satisfied with the leaseholder’s proposals on how to solve the problems at the airport and refused to renew the lease. However, the Town Council does not want to run the airport itself for several reasons, including the cost of upgrading it.’Council stands to benefit considerably if the airport is sold, as it will mean an immediate cash injection and a continuous income on the rates and taxes,’ said Rosina /Hoabes, deputy chairperson of the council’s management committee. Should the council decide to sell the airport, public meetings should be held to get input from residents.The Department of Civil Aviation and other experts will be called on to help put the airport out on tender.’This will ensure that if the airport is offered for sale, as far as possible, all problem areas are covered,’ she said.
