Zimbabwe airport functions without radar systems

• Radar systems play a critical role in traffic communication enabling traffic controllers to communicate with pilots.
•  The radars are crucial for surveillance of the civilian airspace.
•  But airports in Zimbabwe are operating without Radar systems raising grave concerns about the country’s aviation security systems.

Radar systems play a critical role for traffic communication enabling traffic controllers to communicate with pilots. The radars are crucial for surveillance of the civilian airspace. But airports in Zimbabwe are operating without Radar systems raising grave concerns about the country’s aviation security systems.

The continuous change and cancellation of contracts to tender winners to install the radar systems is the major cause for this situation in Zambian airports as per official sources. During a post-budget consultative meeting with the transport sector, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee Oscar Gorerino questioned the delay for the up gradation and warned about the danger of not having a non-functional radar system for a nation. The poor surveillance enabled private aircraft to fly in-and-out of Zimbabwe’s airports without detection according to reports.

Gorerino advised Transport Ministry secretary Chinyanga to urgently organise a meeting between the MPs and the Chinese company, China Harbour Equipment Company (CHEC) that was awarded the tender to upgrade the system. The Chinese company was the sole bidder and was awarded the tender that excluded other bidders.

CHEC Gorerino also pointed out the huge leakage of minerals due to the absence of monitoring. He added that it was important for Zimbabwe to have compatible radar systems and better communication to monitor the illegal smuggling of minerals.

Gorerino also raised concerns about the poor state of the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) that also needed revamping. The trains are operating, with old locomotives without GPS for communication and location purposes.