The Airports Company of SA (Acsa) is satisfied with security features at airports around the country, and will not implement full-body scanners.
Following raised security concerns around the world after a recent failed bomb attack on a US airline, Acsa says recent upgrades, which include the Advanced Passenger Processing (APP) system and the increased used of biometric technology, would ensure passenger safety.
On 25 December, the US Transport Security Administration issued a worldwide security directive requesting the increased pre-screening of passengers both prior to departure, as well as on board for flights destined for the US.
Full-body scanners would not be introduced in the near future as airport security had been approved by the SA Civil Aviation Authority, and was in line with international standards, says Acsa.
Airport security would continue to rely on existing security measures, such as the APP system, says Acsa. The APP system, which is mostly software-based, with some hardware components, such as scanning equipment, is part of the Department of Home Affairs' overall border management initiative.
The system uses biometric verification and is a seamless integrated movement control system, which will introduce passenger pre-clearance prior to boarding a plane, instead of clearing passengers at ports of entry in airports.
It is expected to deal with over 500 000 visitors for the 2010 World Cup and will provide airlines with immediate notification on whether to allow a passenger to board.
The system will also link the various stakeholders within the government security cluster, such as the South African Police Service, the National Intelligence Agency and even the South African Revenue Service, to share individuals' information.
Beefing up
In 2008, Acsa stated it had spent R80 million of its capital expenditure budget on IT in the 2007/8 financial year and will spend more in the coming period to be 2010-ready. The company is currently in a R21.9 billion five-year spending programme to get its 10 airports ready for the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup.
Acsa states that security measures are continually assessed and changes would be made accordingly. Biometric technology has been implemented in restricted areas to control staff and passenger access, and increased CCTV coverage will monitor passenger screening, perimeter gates and baggage, and customs and immigration would improve security.
In the past three years, improvements have been made to surveillance equipment and networks, a safety occurrence system for the accurate recording of incidents has been introduced, and upgrades of the security control room at the OR Tambo International Airport have also been introduced.
“Acsa is continually assessing and monitoring all aspects of security, benchmarking itself against international best practices,” it notes.
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