Waterkloof gets R600m facelift

The runway of the country's most-prominent air force base has to be repaired ahead of next year's election in South Africa to accommodate world leaders who will attend the inauguration of the next president.

This was revealed at a visit to Waterkloof Air Base on Tuesday of Public Works Minister Thoko Didiza.

It was expected that the upgrading of the runway and related work would cost upwards of R600m.

President Thabo Mbeki's office has instructed the first phase of runway upgrade be completed by July 2009 in time to receive presidents and government leaders for the inauguration of the new president, Brigadier-General Anthony Staunton told Didiza.

This would include a reinforcement of the runway that has been closed to all big aircraft due to the damage caused by sinkholes at the base.

It would also include a new presidential departures and arrivals lounge and various other projects.

Base revamp already in motion

Tenders for the runway upgrade project, which has been on-and-off for years, close on April 16, said Public Works chief operating officer Solly Malebye.

He said it was expected the tender would be awarded within two weeks after the closing date with the site being handed over to the contractor in May.

He said that while part of the runway project would be completed for the presidential inauguration it was hoped that the whole project would be completed in time for the Soccer World Cup in 2010.

Problems have hampered the upgrading of the runway and the revamping of the base since 2006.

However, work on the base revamp started in August last year, with Didiza on Tuesday inspecting some projects including the upgrading of aircraft hangars, messes and the base security.

These are due to be completed by the end of the year at a cost of R216m.

Various other projects are also in the pipeline, including the construction of new aircraft hangars for the air force's new A400M transport aircraft which are due to be delivered from 2010 onwards.

Staunton said the new hangars would be the biggest built on the continent.

Waterkloof Air Force base is home to, among others, 21 Squadron, the VIP air transport unit which operates Mbeki's Boeing BBJ and several other VIP aircraft used to fly high-ranking members of the government and the defence force.

The squadron has already moved to a temporary home at O R Tambo International Airport outside Johannesburg.

Waterkloof also hosts several other squadrons including those which operate the SAAF workhorse C130 transport aircraft that are used to support South African peacekeepers in Africa.

Bush's plane among the biggest so far

It is the first place foreign leaders with private planes land when they are on official visits to South Africa.

One of the biggest of these planes was US President George W Bush's Air Force One.

Since it was officially opened in 1938, Waterkloof has always been in service, first used for air operations during World War 2 and during conflicts since then.

Source: The Star