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Restricted air space in Limpopo
- Air space in the northern Limpopo will be temporarily restricted in the coming week, as part of the SA National Defence Force's border safeguarding operation.
The SANDF received instructions from the SA government to employ forces from the army, air force and navy to conduct national border control in northern Limpopo from February 15 to 23, defence ministry spokesperson Simpiwe Dlamini said in a statement on Tuesday.
"In compliance with the Cabinet and ministerial notices, an air border safeguarding operation will be conducted during this period in order to enhance and enforce the authority of the state in the South African air space domain," said Dlamini.
He said all flights, including scheduled flights operating with this temporary restricted air space must apply to the South African Air Force (SAAF) for flight authorisation.
He stressed that only those flights that had obtained a Flight Authorisation Code from the Air Force or a valid clearance would be allowed to operate within or through the restricted airspace.
No co-operation will result in interception or prosecution.
Applications for FAC must be submitted to the SAAF at least 24 hours before entering the restricted airspace for the first time.
The SA Police Service tok over border control from the Defence Force in 1994 and this new strategy by the government is to re-introduce border control by the army in co-operation with SAPS. The re-deployment of soldiers started in April last year, when 160 soldiers were deployed on the South Africa/Zimbabwe border followed by the deployment of 340 solders on the northern border between Limpopo and Zimbabwe. A further 160 soldiers were stationed in the Komati corridor between Mpumalanga and Mozambique with a similar number controlling the area between Mozambique and KwaZulu Natal.
