DURBAN - AS Presidents Jacob Zuma and Robert Mugabe smiled and shook hands at the 37th Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting in Pretoria on Saturday, things were getting ugly on the ground.
The wings of the 7am flight SAA025 were clipped, allegedly by authorities at Harare International Airport.
Rumours flew that the move was linked to Mugabe’s wife, Grace, who allegedly assaulted a 20-year-old Johannesburg model, Gabriella Engels, at a Sandton hotel last Sunday.
The police ministry confirmed Zimbabwe’s first lady was still in the country.
SAA025 was said to have been prevented from leaving Harare in retaliation for South African authorities allegedly holding a Zimbabwean flight at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
Police Minister Fikile Mbalula said this week police had issued a “red alert” at the borders in case Grace Mugabe tried to leave.
But David Chaota, the chief executive of Zimbabwe’s Civil Aviation Authority, said SAA025 was grounded for “compliance”.
Chaota said the flight was not cleared for take-off as it was “not carrying a foreign operator’s permit on board”.
“This was a normal ramp operation,” he said. “On this particular ramp check, they didn’t have it.”
Chaota said the Boeing was still at the airport and would be released when SAA “corrected the problem”.
Grace Mugabe was not seen at the SADC summit, where most of the heads of state were accompanied by their spouses.
Mugabe’s Zanu-PF came to her defence, saying in its Twitter account: “Comrade Doctor Grace Mugabe is a free woman. If she chooses to visit SA or stay longer, that’s her choice.”
There was speculation of a diplomatic fall-out between the neighbours as other SAA flights from Zimbabwe were reportedly cancelled on Saturday.
Mugabe was not affected; he used his own private jet.
In a tweet, Air Zimbabwe confirmed an SAA flight from Harare to Johannesburg had been grounded.
By noon on Saturday, there was still no indication whether the flights had been cleared.
While this drama unfolded, Africa’s heads of state were locked in a summit, plotting a way forward for the sub-continent. Zuma, the incoming SADC chairperson, urged African leaders to work together to make Africa a better place.
The DA expressed concerns, saying there seemed to be a diplomatic impasse over the assault charges against Grace Mugabe.
The party urged Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba to “urgently and publicly” address these concerning incidents and confirm the SAA passengers and crew in Zimbabwe are “safe and being properly cared for”.
SAA spokesperson Tlali Tlali said on Saturday one of the airline’s aircraft was not able to operate in Zimbabwe. Late on Saturday, Tlali said they were still awaiting a decision from the authorities in Zimbabwe on allowing them to operate.
“We apologise to passengers and customers for the inconvenience. The situation is receiving urgent attention,” he said.
Tlali said the authorities in Zimbabwe indicated they required a foreign operator’s permit when they grounded their flight.
He said SAA had eight flights scheduled to operate between Johannesburg and Harare or Victoria Falls and they were cancelled on Saturday. The airline would find accommodation for those affected.
Asked whether a Zimbabwean aircraft was detained at OR Tambo airport, Tlali said they would not second-guess any decisions relating to other airlines. He said they did not know when Zimbabwe-SA flights would resume, but the airline hoped it would be soon.
“We do not know what tomorrow holds; we will take it from there. We do not want to speculate on what will happen tomorrow. From our side we have submitted all the required, relevant documents.”
Tlali said it was the first time that SAA had been stopped for a foreign operating permit issue.
“It is only Zimbabwe,” he said.
Chaota also pointed out that SAA was not the only airline stopped from operating at Harare’s airport on Saturday. A British Airways flight was also prevented from taking off for non-compliance.
A diplomatic fall-out could have a hugely negative impact on South African companies operating in Zimbabwe.
A source said: “Zimbabwe could ask them to leave or they could lose all their assets.”
Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi said he would meet aviation entities from the department to discuss the grounding of the Air Zimbabwe aircraft on Friday.