Renowned 43 Air School aviation academy in Port Alfred has been granted an interim high court order restraining the EFF from burning the facility down.
At the heart of the EFF’s fury is:
lThe arrival of an SAA heritage plane which had the old SA flag on its fuselage; and
lDenel-funded pilot training being given to Supra Junior, who is the son of toppled North West premier Supra Mahumapelo.
The matter will be heard on Tuesday next week.
On May 24 Grahamstown Judge Jeremy Pickering granted the rule nisi order. He ruled: “The [14 EFF] respondents are restricted and restrained from threatening to commit acts of arson and committing acts of arson at the business premises of the applicant at 43 Air School.
“The members of the SAPS are hereby authorised to take such action as may be lawfully permitted to be taken in the event that any of the respondents refuse to comply with the instructions of the sheriff, or the obstruction of the sheriff in the execution of their duties.”
According to the air school’s court papers, the application follows events of May 21 when Sarah Baartman EFF leader Xolisa Runeli, EFF subregional spokesman Phaphama Nobebe and 12 others allegedly interrupted activities at the school and threatened violence.
In the application, which will be heard on Tuesday, the air school’s director and CEO Willem Adriaan Niemann claimed that on May 21 at 1.15pm Runeli and others breached the security of the school while aircrafts were taxiing out of hangars and threatened him.
Niemann’s affidavit says that Runeli pulled a knife on him while others shouted: “We are coming for you”, “You are racist”, “We will burn down the 43 Air School”, “We are going to close the school because it is a white business”, “We will bring more people – we are used to prison”, “We are telling the students to pull out and leave”, and “Go to hell Attie – voetsek”.
The drama, according to Niemann, erupted after a DC4 aircraft sporting an old SA flag on its doorway landed at the school.
Niemann distanced the school from both the flag and the aircraft, saying it was a “museum/ heritage aircraft” belonging to the SAA.
Niemann said the row broke out at a time when the air school was dealing with allegations in the media about corruption in a R1-million 17-month pilot training scholarship awarded by Denel to Supra Junior.
Niemann states that the air school has more than 300 pilot trainees on its books and more than 100 of these students were from overseas.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Nobebe said the EFF had been trying to meet with Niemann since May 9 to “seek clarity” on various issues, including allegations of Mahumapelo’s son’s scholarship.
In his papers, Niemann said he was away on business in Mauritius from May 11 to 15 and was told on his return that an “unknown male” had called his secretary and receptionist wanting to speak to him.
Nobebe said: “We would like clarity on specific programmes and plans by the air school to assist with the socio-economic issues facing our community of Ndlambe municipality, including awarding of aviation bursaries or scholarships to deserving and previously disadvantaged individuals.”
Nobebe said Mahumapelo’s son’s scholarship was no longer their main priority.
The EFF now wanted to tackle alleged racism at the school.
“The landing of the aircraft with an offensive symbol confirms racism at that school,” vented Nobebe.
The EFF 14 have approached advocate Matthew Mphahlwa to represent them in this matter.
“I can confirm that I am on brief in that matter representing EFF and the rest is for the court to deal with and I cannot comment,” Mphahlwa said.
EFF Eastern Cape spokesman Yazini Tetyana said: “We support our members at the Ndlambe subregion for standing up against racism at that school, which is dominated by white students.”
Tetyana denied that a knife was pulled out by one of the EFF members during arguments at the air school. “We are no bunch of hooligans. No one took out a knife,” he said.
SAA spokesman Tlali Tlali acknowledged receipt of Dispatch questions and request for SAA’s comment and promised to respond before our deadline, but he had not replied by the time of going to print...