South African airport fuel level falls to ‘critical levels’

Fuel reserves at South Africa’s biggest airport, OR Tambo in Johannesburg, fell to ‘critical levels’ after supply problems, an airport spokesman said.

“We’ve been experiencing inadequate supplies in the past few weeks,” Solomon Makgale said by mobile phone today. “We have some fuel in reserve but it’s at critical levels.”

Airlines were asked yesterday to reduce their intake by 30 percent, he said, adding reserves were at about two days’ supply compared with about five days normally.

Makgale referred queries on supplies to state-owned transport company Transnet Ltd., and Sasol Ltd. and Total SA’s Natref refinery. Sasol couldn’t immediately comment and Transnet wasn’t available.

“We are confident we will be able to keep the airport operational until fuel supplies return to normal,” Makgale said.

Source: Bloomberg