An executive from the airfreight sector has confirmed that the decision by Air BP to withdraw its fuel supply to OR Tambo International Airport (ORT) is definitely because of South Africa’s refusal to comply with international sanctions against the Russian government of Vladimir Putin.
Amid speculation earlier this week that this was indeed the reason for the British oil and gas multinational’s decision, and despite increasing confirmation filtering through, Air BP has not made any official statements to this effect.
The executive from a neutral consolidator added that an alternative fuel supplier had already stepped in to take over from Air BP.
“Not much will change. The pipeline is clear. They will be supplying fuel directly to the respective carriers. At this stage the pricing is not going to change. The current situation is that we have seven days of supply at ORT.”
He said this was confirmed at a meeting of the Air Cargo Operators’ Committee held yesterday.
“Behind the scenes, the meetings they have had at the airport do relate directly to the relationship that the South African government has with Putin and his crew. This is just another case of a British company that doesn’t want to be associated with Russia. What can I say? It’s the true state of our nation.”
Air BP’s withdrawal is the latest development around ongoing escalation of trade dissolution ever since Western oil companies started refusing to refuel Russian aircraft at ORT and Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) on several occasions last year.
Air BP already withdrew from CTIA on January 31.
Then, in February this year, it emerged that Airports Company South Africa had initiated a “sanctioned friend of the SA government” plan, according to which Russian aircraft will still be refuelled at local international airports.
The news was widely criticised as yet more evidence of the ANC government’s flagrant refusal to sever the ideological ties it has with Russia, despite the Kremlin’s war on Ukraine.
Commenting on Air BP’s withdrawal from OR Tambo, Hamlet Morule, Head of Communications & External Affairs, said: “As part of good business practice, Air BP reviews its portfolio on a continuous basis. In light of its latest review, a decision was taken to exit all of BP’s aviation activities as operator at the airports and direct supplier to airlines in South Africa. The decision was made as a result of Air BP’s current global business strategy.”
Its statement, issued on Wednesday, included that it would follow suit at the airports of George and East London at the end of March.
At the same time, the ANC has made it clear to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague that it will not arrest Putin in August on behalf of the ICC when the Russian leader is expected in South Africa for the Brics Summit (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa).
This is despite the fact that South Africa, as a signatory of the ICC, is honour bound to abide by the ICC’s mandate where it acts against heads of state suspected of war crimes.
In 2015, when Jacob Zuma was still the country’s president, the government also failed to arrest Omar al-Bashir, the rogue Sudanese leader who has since been deposed.
Although South Africa’s government has not official reacted to the ICC’s request, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula has said the country will not be bullied into a position because of maintaining relations with Russia.
