Members of the SAA Pilots Association were among those who jumped in to help with the relief and rescue efforts.
- Air connectivity has proven to be vital in the aftermath of devastating unrest and looting in KwaZulu-Natal.
- Small private planes have been chartered to bring-in urgently needed relief.
- Some families even chartered planes to get them out of the province.
As some families have been chartering private planes at about R150 000 to fly them, their children and pets out of KwaZulu-Natal during and in the aftermath of the unrest, some aircraft have been used to fly in food and medical supplies.
These small chartered planes can carry about eight passengers, and according to a source active in aviation operations in Durban, some private planes have also been used to fly in managers to come and look at the damage caused at warehouses, including for insurance purposes.
"They often found there was simply nothing left," the source said on Friday.
At the same time, he is impressed with all the goodwill being poured out from other parts of the country. Private aircraft are bringing in small planes loaded with food and medical supplies. The planes are chartered by companies wanting to get supplies to their employees or even just private individuals wanting to help. On Friday there were about 80 such flights he estimates.
Earlier this week families chartered private planes to airlift about 20 children out of KwaZulu-Natal.
Furthermore, because a blood bank was destroyed in Durban, two private planes flew in blood supplies to the city. The SA Red Cross has also used planes to fly in supplies. A mobile company flew in cable to restore its damaged network towers, and more private security was flown in to protect businesses. Some farmers used their small planes to bring food to family and friends in the province.
"All the pilots flying these planes have been fantastic. They have really pulled together when it was needed. This just shows how vital air connectivity is," says the source.
He also has a lot of praise for the Muslim community who assisted in getting aid delivered to the city.
Bidair has been one of the companies used for cargo flights to KZN. Its planes can take about 17 tonnes of cargo per flight, including medical supplies and food.
According to Mark Wilkinson, manager of the privately-owned Cape Winelands Airport, they received many requests from donors and charities to help in whatever form possible, and fortunately were able to get involved and help facilitate a relief flight departing from its neighbour, the Cape Town International Airport.
Andy Cluver, owner of Civair Helicopters and Aeroplanes, it had taken up about a tonne of food to KwaZulu-Natal on Friday.
"The Cape Winelands Airport contacted us and said they are putting together a relief flight and we got involved too. About a tonne of porridge was delivered. Some donors were from as far as Canada. The camaraderie is unbelievable. We started planning at 11:00 Friday morning and by 14:00 the plane took off for KwaZulu-Natal," says Cluver. "It shows how South Africans can come together in a time of crisis and get things done."
Members of the SAA Pilots Association (SAAPA) were among those who jumped in to help with the relief and rescue efforts. The day after the looting, burning and chaos started to subside in the province SAAPA pilots where reaching out on their Telegram group asking if anyone needed to be assisted with supplies, food or medical supplies. Pilots who had access to a range of aircraft from small single engine to larger twins rallied to offer their expertise. The SAAPA leadership set up an group with pilots who lived in the province getting feedback on the situation.
To date, SAAPA pilots have assisted in collecting families and flying them out of the hot spots and bringing in much needed medical supplies to places like Margate and Richards Bay.
Captain Allen Lange is one of the SAAPA members who assisted. He uses his own small 4-seater DynAero MCR4S. So far he has evacuated people from Margate and took urgently needed baby formula and medical supplies to Pietermaritzburg. He might be flying again over the weekend to take some insulin and chronic medication needed in the province.
The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) together with private airline, Airlink, supermarket chain, Shoprite and global law firm, Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) are joining forces to provide vital relief, supplies and support in cleaning up Pietermaritzburg after the looting and civil unrest that has devastated the city and surrounding communities over the past week.
Together they will provide and safely transport over 2 000 food packages and provisions to people who are currently without any food after shops in the city and surrounds were pillaged. A team of 85 volunteers from Airlink and HSF will fly to Pietermaritzburg on Sunday – Nelson Mandela International Day - where Santaco-affiliated minibus taxis will ferry them to those areas in most need of support. Relief supplies and food packages were donated by Airlink, HSF, their respective staff and matched with contributions from Shoprite.
Comments
Post a Comment