Following recent reports of incidents of plane crashes around the Cape Town area, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Western Cape has expressed concern over the increasing number of crashes.
In a statement, the Western Cape DA said the rising risk of plane crashes poses a significant risk to the safety and security of local communities and cannot be ignored.
‘The increase in plane crashes, some of which have been fatal, poses an imminent threat to our communities, and this is not a matter we can take lightly. We must take decisive action to mitigate these risks,’ said the statement.
Most recently, a light aircraft crashed near the Kraaifontein sewage plant on 28 March. An armed response team and emergency service provider found two pilots outside the aircraft when they arrived on the scene, with one pilot having sustained serious injuries while the other pilot’s injuries were moderate.
This follows after another light aircraft crashed near Gansbaai just over a month earlier in February. No injuries were reported; however, the crash resulted in the closure of the R43 between Gansbaai and Pearly Beach.
In June last year, two incidents involving light aircraft occurred. At the start of the month, a light aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing on Cape Winelands Road between Stellenbosch and Somerset West and sustained minor injuries.
The second incident, occurring at the end of the month, saw a light aircraft crash in the Luzuko area of Lower Crossroads near Cape Town International Airport due to engine failure. The pilot and his student sustained injuries, and it was reported that locals attempted to loot the aircraft and rob the pair of their personal belongings.
In February 2022, a light private aircraft crash-landed along Link Road in the Cape Point section of Table Mountain National Park (TMNP).
In an effort to address the pressing concern, DA WC spokesperson for WC Parliament’s Standing Committee on Mobility, Derrick America, invites the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) and all relevant aviation industry stakeholders to appear before the committee, as well as members of the public who would like to share their concerns and insights.
‘We need to understand their strategies to prevent the prevalence of plane crashes in the Cape Town metro and surrounds, particularly with the recent proliferation of flying schools in the region,’ said America.
‘We will closely monitor their progress and hold them accountable for their commitments to improving safety standards’.
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