EZULWINI – The official opening of the Ezulwini Palazzo Convention Centre has generated the need for a new aircraft.
It is understood that the facility is attracting global interest, with several bookings having been made for this year. Within the government structures, there is a concern that the transportation of delegates from Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, to King Mswati III International Airport at Sikhuphe by a small aircraft does not make business sense. This is because the current aircraft cannot carry many passengers. It effectively means it must make a couple of trips to be able to bring all the people to Eswatini.
Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe, the Minister for Public Works and Transport, said they have noted the growth in air travellers coming to the country. “We are very proud of the fact that several passengers are choosing our national airline,” the minister said. Speaking to the Times SUNDAY, the minister said the airline management is currently evaluating the acquisition of a third aircraft.
He said the size (gauge) of the aircraft will be determined based on the size and consistency of the additional passenger demand.
Ndwandwe said, at the moment, government and its enterprises were observing such factors, which form part of their decision process. The minister said government is committed to making a success of Eswatini Air, adding that it will support the acquisition of the appropriate additional aircraft.
Qiniso President Dhlamini, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Royal Eswatini National Airways Corporation (RENAC), said the country’s convention centre, one of the largest in Africa, creates a strong case for the new aircraft. RENAC was established in 1978 as a national airline. In addition, it offers charter brokerage services, ground-handling services and operates a travel agency named Royal Eswatini Travel Agency (RETA) as a subsidiary. The corporation has a capacity and good record in handling aircraft of all sizes.
It must be said that RENAC is a licensed ground services provider, with fixed based operations at King Mswati III International Airport and Matsapha International Airport. In its business profile, the entity, under the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has a safe and efficient ground handling record since March 2018. It has handled various presidential flights from across the world. Its capacity includes handling large aircraft such as the Boeing B747-400 for passengers and the Boeing B777F for freight.
RENAC services boutique includes:
- Aircraft marshalling
- Passengers check in and boarding
- Loading and offloading
- Aircraft interior cleaning
- Fuelling
- VIP lounge services
“The timing of the revival of the aircraft was just on time,” he said.
Expanding on this necessity and probability, Dhlamini said the hamstring at this stage will be capital investment. The CEO said the airline has to produce a business case with a funding model. He said it must also align to the route expansion and fleet strategies. “At face value we need a larger aircraft, but the figures and projections must confirm it,” he said.
According to the annual performance report for the 2025/2026 tabled in Parliament by Minister for Public Works and Transport Chief Ndlaluhlaza, the launch of the national airline resulted in substantial savings as air travel costs declined markedly. During the year under review, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport pointed out that the societal savings in air travel costs, compared to the period prior to the airline’s launch, amounted to over E164 million. The report states that these savings largely benefitted government. This is because government is a major consumer of air travel services and also supports gross domestic product (GDP) growth.
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Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe, the Minister for Public Works and Transport, said they have noted the growth in air travellers coming to the country. (File pic)