Speaking at a Gala dinner to welcome Turkish Airlines and consummate the new Durban/Istanbul route, MEC Belinda Scott said the KZN Provincial Government wanted to see King Shaka International Airport as an international passenger and cargo hub.

“We are cognisant of the immense role played by aviation, as a catalyst for the advancement of regional integration within the African continent,” she said. “The time has come for Africa to make its presence felt on the world map through trade, tourism, transportation and logistics.” Scott added that the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government continued to forge strategic partnerships with regional and international airlines.

Scott said strategic infrastructure spend would increase the airport’s efficiency and included plans to develop a Durban Aerotropolis. “This province has invested immensely in the Dube TradePort cargo hub and King Shaka International Airport. We cannot overemphasis the importance of the connectivity that the Turkish Airlines bring with it, to the new route between Durban and Istanbul in terms of passengers and cargo. Critically, this development integrates the province into the global community, ensuring that we can use the Turkish Airlines as a springboard to connect with more than 100 destinations,’ she said.

“We recognise that the private sector remains a crucial driver of economic activity in the province through its investment in the real economy to generate economic value and create jobs. Equally, the success of the Durban-Istanbul route requires the indispensable support of the private sector,” she said.