CAAZ auctions 7 passenger aircraft as Air Zimbabwe faces challenges

The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) has awarded a local company, Glowtrack Auctions, a tender to auction seven passenger aircraft, Nehanda Radio has established.

According to an operational communique shared within Glowtrack Auctions, seen by Nehanda Radio, the company is set to auction the birds on behalf of CAAZ.

“Glowtrack Auctions is an anchor subsidiary of Glowtrack Investments Private Limited that opened doors in Zimbabwe in 2013, Principal business interests in auctioneering business cover both public and private auctions and property valuation.

“Glowtrack Auctions’ business interactions led to the award of a tender to sell used passenger aircrafts on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) targeting both the local and regional and even international buyers,” read the statement.

The company is tasked to ensure public participation in the scheduled auction event in compliance with the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act (PPDPA), sell 7 Civil Aviation Authority passenger aircrafts that have been marked for disposal through public auction and realise auction proceeds “that are either equal to or above reserve values for each aircraft.”

Contacted for comment, CAAZ Public Relations and Communications Manager Annajulia Hungwe admitted that the seven passenger aircrafts were being sold.

She also said that “the tender was advertised in public newspapers” before Glowtrack Auctions won it.

Over the past ten years, Air Zimbabwe (AirZim) has been frequently grounded due to losses and technical problems.

Just last month, the troubled national flag carrier grounded its planes because of jet fuel shortages disrupting travellers.

Zimbabwe’s aviation system is also under serious threat of a possible mid-air disaster as the government through airport management authorities are reportedly failing to replace the old and dilapidated navigation system.

Few weeks ago, it was reported that delays and re-scheduling of planes that were expected to land at Bulawayo’s Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport were made due to fog amid indications of a faulty airport navigation system.

In December last year, a Zimbabwean Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport said the country’s airports were operating without radar systems exposing the country’s security aviation systems.

Radar systems consist of traffic communication, which enables traffic controllers to communicate with pilots. The radars also improve surveillance of the airspace.