Johannesburg, 10 December 2024 – This week’s refuelling crisis at O.R. Tambo International Airport, which caused widespread delays and disruption for travellers, is a clear reminder of the vulnerabilities within South Africa’s critical infrastructure.
Volker von Widdern, Risk Principal at Riskonet, has called for a thorough assessment of critical points of failure in our national infrastructure, to address these systemic issues, warning of the severe consequences if such challenges are not effectively addressed.
“The fuel supply disruptions we have seen at O.R. Tambo represent a significant operational risk, not only to the aviation industry but to the broader economy. These challenges put supply chains at risk and cause significant, unnecessary costs with the related interventions. This is not just a logistical inconvenience; it is a wake-up call about the importance of robust planning and risk management across our national infrastructure.”
Von Widdern believes the situation could have been much worse had it persisted, potentially grounding flights entirely, stranding thousands of travellers during the peak holiday season, and causing cascading economic losses.
Prolonged disruptions would undermine consumer confidence, affect critical business operations, and damage South Africa’s reputation as a reliable travel hub. Planned maintenance should not result in severe outages. Operational resilience should ensure that a minimum level of capacity can be sustained, even under distressed conditions.
To mitigate these risks, von Widdern points to the need for a comprehensive strategy that includes rigorous operational contingency planning, with improved coordination between State infrastructure service providers and their critical spares suppliers. This includes standby capacity for perils during construction and refurbishment.
Similalrly, the aviation industry cannot afford to treat this as an isolated event but must instead use it as a learning opportunity to build greater resilience.
“The key to managing risks like these lies in foresight and collaboration. Stakeholders need to invest in systems that monitor and address potential threats to the fuel supply chain and all critical support systems proactively. At the same time, effective business continuity plans must be in place to ensure that disruptions are minimised and managed with clear communication and efficiency.”
Looking ahead, von Widdern is calling on both the public and private sectors to commit to infrastructural investments that secure the aviation sector’s future. He also says passengers and businesses have a role in holding industry players accountable for ensuring operational reliability.
“The consequences of inaction are too great to ignore. South Africa’s economy is deeply interconnected with its ability to facilitate efficient travel and trade. Every delay, every disruption, chips away at trust and economic momentum. We need to act now to ensure this does not happen again. The cost of preparedness is far less than the cost of continued disruptions.”
