An airport multi-stakeholder team comprising Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), SA Police Services (SAPS), Immigration, Customs, Athletics South Africa, Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) and Port Health, met and concluded a plan for the Athletics South Africa’s team arrival.

The meeting with stakeholders dealt with all logistical arrangements, to ensure a smooth and structured process. The athletics team is scheduled to arrive at O.R. Tambo International Airport tomorrow (Tuesday, 25 August 2009) at 08h50. Between 2 000 and 5 000 people are expected to converge at the airport to welcome the team. The following arrangements have been concluded: 

The welcoming party will take place at the Piazza Parking facility opposite the old international arrivals terminal;

The SAPS and EMPD officers, in addition to ACSA’s marshalls, will assist with the directing of traffic, crowd management and vehicle traffic control; 

As a result, the lower arrival roadway in front of terminal building will be closed from 6h30 until 12 noon and traffic will be diverted. This means the pick-up point outside International Terminal A and Domestic Terminal B will be inaccessible during that time. Only disabled passengers will be allowed access.

“Given the large numbers expected to meet the athletes during our peak travel time, we strongly urge people to converge at the Piazza Parking facility, where the South African Athletics team will be hosted. Anyone arriving at the airport to greet the team should therefore proceed directly to the Piazza Parking facility and not the terminal building,” concluded Solomon Makgale, ACSA’s Group Manager: Communications.