Johannesburg – The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has rejected, as false, claims that it was assisting Russia to bypass sanctions imposed on that country for its invasion of Ukraine.
On Friday – the first anniversary of Russia’s war on Ukraine – ACSA flatly denied any involvement in sanctions-busting.
The European Union has steadily increased sanctions on Russia and in recent times, ACSA has come under the spotlight for allowing Russian airplanes to refuel in South Africa.
Responding to reports suggesting it was involved in sanctions-busting by changing its fuel arrangements, ACSA said it, “vehemently denies that its plans to institute operational changes in terms of aircraft refuelling as an attempt to bypass sanctions imposed by Western governments on Russian aircraft”.
ACSA added: “The company also rejects any suggestion that the move is a direct response to two incidents last year where oil companies refused to refuel Russian aircraft at O.R Tambo International Airport and Cape Town International Airport”.
Explaining that its plan dates back to 2020 – long before the outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine – ACSA said the intention was to separate jet fuel supplying companies from the refuellers and through-putters at its airports.
“When the Board of the company started deliberating on the issue and formulating the Recover and Sustain Strategy, an integral part of which was the first Jet Fuel Strategy approved by the ACSA Board in June 2021 before the Russian aircraft in question needed refilling at our airports,” ACSA said.
“Subsequently, the Jet Fuel Strategy was integrated into ACSA’s Growth Strategy approved by its Board in September 2021.
“Hence, any link between the ACSA’s Jet Fuel Strategy and the suggestions of ‘sanctions busting’ is factually incorrect.”
Presently, Jet fuel suppliers lease airport fuel storage and hydrant facilities from ACSA, while using their own equipment and vehicles to transport and pump fuel into planes.
Under the agreement with ACSA, oil companies can manage the fuel facilities and operations directly.
Under the current Jet Fuel arrangement, the supply of aviation fuel is not handled by ACSA.
The airport authority said it issues licences to all major oil companies so they can supply jet fuel to refuel aircraft on their platforms.
Aside from major fuel suppliers, ACSA has issued licences to several local Black economically empowered fuel suppliers as part of its efforts to drive transformation in the local industry.
“It was the Oil Majors that refused to refuel Russian Aircrafts at OR Tambo International Airport and Cape Town International Airport citing sanctions of their headquarters in Europe,” ASCA said.
“As a result, the aircraft was not refuelled at ACSA Airports. It has been stated they were refuelled at Non-ACSA Airport.
“Therefore, ACSA did not Sanction Bust but instead the Oil majors imposed sanctions on Russian aircraft in South Africa,” said the airport authority.
Besides, the Airport authority said it was obliged by the ICAO international rules to refuel all aircraft that enter the country and its airports.
“The South African government does not have sanctions against Russia,” said ACSA.
