Port Elizabeth International Airport will not be relocated to the Coega Special Economic Zone.
In a joint statement, Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) and the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality have indicated that reports to this effect are incorrect, adding that they have agreed in principle that the airport will remain in its current location, and that a parcel of land in this area will be reserved for its future expansion.
Acsa and the municipality have also discussed infrastructure extensions and upgrades. When finalised, the changes will be implemented over several years and involve significant investment. The airport’s location as a hub for business and industry is central to these plans.
“The airport also represents the accumulation of considerable investment over decades, an investment that cannot be replaced or substituted,” reads the statement.
