Aviation leaders touched down in KwaZulu-Natal for the Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (Barsa) Aviation Summit 2026, hosted at The Capital Zimbali on March 5-6.
Over two days, delegates engaged in robust industry discussions, explored the province through various outdoor excursions, and connected and collaborated at networking events.
The theme – ‘Destination Africa: Redefining Aviation in Africa’ – was a statement of intent, Barsa CEO, George Mothema said during his opening address. “Africa has been described as the future. But the future can no longer wait. For too long, African skies have reflected fragmentation, flying between neighbouring countries costing far more than flying across continents.”
Limited connectivity across the continent continues to constrain growth. “Too many routes bypass Africa rather than connect it. Too many opportunities are grounded by limited infrastructure, regulatory barriers and underinvestment in Africa. Redefining aviation in Africa means changing this narrative,” he said.
This includes how the industry could build systems that were resilient, efficient and sustainable, while preparing for new technologies and the next generation of passengers, said Mothema. “Another challenge is how do we make air travel safer, more accessible and more affordable.”
He also emphasised the need to strengthen confidence across the sector. “Redefining aviation means defining confidence. Confidence in African airlines. Confidence in our African airports. Confidence in our airspace management, which is critical for connecting airlines across the continent, and confidence in African leadership in aviation.”
Regulatory reform and stronger coordination across the aviation ecosystem will be critical to unlock investment and growth. “Outdated ways of doing things and bureaucratic barriers slow innovation and discourage investment in the aviation market. The entire ecosystem needs to be coordinated in that regard,” Mothema said.
