Acsa airport security tender challenged in court

Another airport security tender lands Acsa in court

South Africa’s airport operator, the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa), is once again in the legal spotlight over a multi-billion-rand security tender covering OR Tambo, Cape Town, and King Shaka International airports.

Sourced: X{@SABCNews}

According to The Citizen,the dispute comes after Eagle Eye Security Specialists filed an urgent application in the high court, seeking to halt Acsa from evaluating, awarding, or implementing the latest aviation security services tender while a judicial review is pending. The contract would provide security services at the country’s three largest international airports for the next five years.

The heart of the dispute

According to Eagle Eye, the tender is riddled with legal and procedural flaws. The founding affidavit argues the process is “unlawful, irrational and in breach of constitutional principles,” citing missing cost items for mandatory aviation compliance, ambiguous pricing structures, and contradictory requirements for documents such as proof of financial sustainability.

The company also challenges Acsa’s apparent equivalence between general national key point security experience and specialised aviation security compliance, which is tightly governed by international standards.

Wayne Duvenage of the Organisation Against Tax Abuse (Outa) noted that while this case involves a separate tender, it highlights recurring governance issues at the state-owned entity. “Repeated court challenges and tender cancellations suggest a breakdown in oversight, with contracts often structured to favour specific outcomes,” he said.

Repeated procurement headaches

Acsa has faced several court battles over tenders in recent years, including a high-profile cancellation of a “smart security” tender involving advanced screening technology, challenged by Mafoko Security Patrols. Duvenage said investigations often reveal that linked companies win contracts they cannot execute themselves, outsourcing the work at inflated costs.

“There are systemic issues here,” he said. “A forensic investigation could uncover irregularities leading to executive-level accountability. One has to ask, where is the board in all of this?”

Acsa responds

Through its spokesperson, Ofentse Dijoe, Acsa confirmed receipt of the urgent court application but declined to discuss the allegations. “This matter is now the subject of a pending high court challenge. Acsa’s position will be dealt with within the confines of the court case,” he said. The procurement process is still in its early stages, with next steps yet to be initiated.

For now, South Africa’s airport security landscape remains under scrutiny as the legal process unfolds, leaving the fate of the multi-billion-rand contract and the broader questions about governance at Acsa, uncertain.

{Source: The Citizen}

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