Swaziland Airlink’s objections quashed JAMES HALL MBABANE – Objecting to the end of Swaziland Airlink’s monopoly on the Johannesburg to Swaziland route, upset airline officials and their supporters in government sounded like a gunslinger talking to his rival in a Western movie: “This town ain’t big enough for the both of us, partner.” The Air Transportation Licensing Board announced last week that Swaziland Airlink must share the route with another carrier. Swaziland Express, which may now fly from Swaziland’s single international airport at Matsapha to Johannesburg, is run by two Swaziland business tycoons, Hans Steffen and Moses Motsa. The Ministry of Transportation filed an unsuccessful objection with the air licensing board to prevent the end of Swaziland Airlink’s route monopoly. Explaining the board’s decision, chairman Bakhombisile Mkwanazi said, “We simply took a business decision upon realising that the grounds for objection presented by government were not fundamental. Their basis for objection was that the number of frequencies (return trips) to Johannesburg agreed upon between Swaziland and South Africa was not enough to accommodate two airlines.” Board members wondered why the frequencies could not be divided between airlines. Swaziland Airlink’s general manager Teddy Mavuso said that his firm’s passenger numbers and airfreight volumes were scarcely sufficient to make the route profitable with the current allotment of frequencies. Transportation Ministry principal secretary expressed fear of a possible lawsuit from South African Airlink, with whom government signed a joint venture agreement to form Swaziland Airlink in 1999. The agreement stipulated that Swaziland Airlink would fly the Johannesburg route free of competition.
