By JD GLOBAL MEDIA
Airports Company South Africa has appointed Siphamandla Mthethwa as its new chief executive officer, bringing a former senior executive back to the state-owned airport operator at a time when the company is preparing for major infrastructure investment and a new phase of operational growth.
Mthethwa will take up the position on 1 November 2026, following a Cabinet decision taken on 23 September approving his appointment. He will also become an executive director of Airports Company South Africa.
His appointment marks a return to an organisation he previously served between 2020 and 2023, when he was chief financial officer and executive director. During that period, the aviation sector was severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing airports and airlines to manage a sharp decline in passenger traffic and revenue.
Mthethwa now returns to a substantially different operating environment. South Africa's airport network has recovered strongly from the pandemic shock, while the company is preparing to increase infrastructure spending, improve passenger experience and strengthen its long-term financial and operational position.
He will succeed Charles Shilowa, who has been serving as acting chief executive since 1 July 2026 following the end of former chief executive Mpumi Mpofu's fixed-term tenure. Shilowa will remain in the acting role until the end of October.
A Return At A Different ACSA
Mthethwa's first period at the airport company coincided with one of the most difficult periods in the history of the aviation industry.
When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted international and domestic travel, airports experienced a dramatic reduction in passenger traffic. ACSA had to manage falling revenues while maintaining critical airport infrastructure and services.
As chief financial officer, Mthethwa was involved in the company's financial response during that period.
According to ACSA's announcement through the JSE's Stock Exchange News Service, he provided strategic financial leadership for the company's network of nine major airports, led a R6 billion funding programme and oversaw the implementation of a financial recovery strategy during the pandemic. He also facilitated the issuance of a R1.8 billion bond without a government guarantee.
His previous experience therefore gives him direct knowledge of ACSA's financial structure and the pressures associated with operating a large airport network.
The circumstances awaiting him this time are different.
The company is now dealing with a recovery in passenger traffic, increased infrastructure requirements, changing technology and the need to ensure that airport facilities remain capable of supporting future demand.
Nine Major Airports Under ACSA
ACSA operates South Africa's nine key airports, including O.R. Tambo International Airport in Gauteng, Cape Town International Airport in the Western Cape and King Shaka International Airport in KwaZulu-Natal.
These airports perform a role that extends beyond passenger travel.
They support tourism, international trade, domestic commerce, cargo movement and regional economic activity.
The company's latest integrated annual report describes its airport network as an important part of South Africa's aviation industry and highlights its role in connecting the country to international markets and all six inhabited continents.
This makes ACSA's infrastructure decisions relevant not only to travellers but also to airlines, tourism operators, exporters, importers, retailers and businesses that depend on efficient air connectivity.
For Mthethwa, the challenge will therefore involve managing a large infrastructure organisation while ensuring that investment decisions translate into better operational performance and customer services.
Financial Recovery Has Created Room For Investment
ACSA's financial position has improved considerably since the pandemic period.
The company's latest integrated annual report describes the 2025/26 financial year as one in which the airport network continued its recovery, with the organisation focusing on strengthening its revenue base and allocating resources towards infrastructure, services and capabilities supporting the aviation system.
The improvement is important because infrastructure investment requires substantial and sustained financial resources.
Airports require continuous expenditure on runways, terminals, baggage systems, security equipment, information technology, parking facilities, aircraft stands, roads, utilities and other infrastructure.
They also need to adapt to changes in passenger behaviour and technology.
ACSA's strategy identifies infrastructure modernisation, passenger experience, connectivity, cargo, digital transformation and sustainability among its priorities.
The company's improved financial position provides a stronger foundation for pursuing those objectives.
Capital Spending Becomes A Major Test
One of the most significant challenges facing the incoming CEO will be translating available financial resources into actual infrastructure delivery.
ACSA's corporate planning documents have identified substantial capital requirements for airport development.
The company's 2026 corporate plan projected capital allocation rising significantly across the three-year period, with a targeted R6.384 billion for 2026/27 and R13.337 billion for 2027/28. The plan also identifies airport development and expansion as major strategic objectives.
The scale of those planned investments means project execution will be an important measure of the new leadership's performance.
Large airport projects involve procurement, engineering, environmental requirements, financing, construction and coordination with airlines and other airport users.
Delays can increase costs and postpone improvements for passengers and businesses.
Mthethwa's financial background could therefore be particularly relevant as ACSA attempts to combine stronger finances with faster infrastructure delivery.
Passenger Numbers Have Recovered
The recovery of passenger traffic is another important factor behind ACSA's next phase.
The airport company has described the 2025/26 period as one of renewed momentum and shifting demand patterns. Its integrated report says the organisation is focused on operational excellence, growth, connectivity and improved customer experience.
The recovery means that airports must increasingly prepare for higher demand rather than simply managing the consequences of the pandemic downturn.
That creates pressure on terminal capacity, parking, baggage handling, security screening, immigration facilities and other passenger-facing services.
Airport infrastructure designed for lower passenger volumes can become strained as traffic returns.
Investment therefore has to anticipate future requirements rather than merely repair facilities that were affected by the pandemic.
Digital Transformation Is Part Of The New Strategy
Technology will also be an important part of ACSA's next phase.
The company's latest integrated report identifies digital transformation as a strategic priority and says biometric and automated border-control technologies are being advanced to streamline passenger journeys.
ACSA also describes its broader objective as creating smarter, more connected airports using data and technology to improve operations and passenger experience.
This creates a growing technology component within airport management.
Modern airports increasingly depend on automated systems for passenger processing, border controls, parking, baggage operations, security and information services.
The incoming CEO will therefore be expected to oversee an organisation that combines traditional infrastructure management with increasingly sophisticated digital systems.
Lessons From Mthethwa's Previous Term
Mthethwa's previous tenure gives him direct experience of ACSA's financial and operational environment.
His appointment announcement states that he has more than 20 years of leadership experience across aviation, energy, mining, telecommunications, utilities and financial services.
He has also served as a senior executive at other state-owned enterprises, including the Central Energy Fund and the African Exploration, Mining and Finance Corporation.
That experience spans several infrastructure-intensive industries.
The financial-management component is particularly relevant because ACSA needs to balance investment requirements with debt financing, revenue generation and financial sustainability.
The company's investor information identifies sustainable returns, cost management, revenue growth, capital-structure optimisation and access to affordable debt financing as important elements of its financial approach.
The Governance Challenge
Mthethwa's return also comes after a period in which ACSA faced questions about governance, procurement and senior management.
Those issues have increased the importance of strong internal controls and transparent decision-making.
The new chief executive will therefore inherit responsibilities that go beyond infrastructure and passenger services.
He will need to work with the board, management, employees, government and other stakeholders to ensure that procurement and operational decisions comply with applicable governance requirements.
ACSA's corporate governance framework places responsibility for strategic oversight with its board, while the chief executive is responsible for implementing the company's strategy and managing the organisation's operations.
This division of responsibilities means Mthethwa will operate within a broader governance structure rather than having unilateral control over major corporate decisions.
ACSA's Relationship With Government
ACSA is majority owned by the South African government.
Its latest integrated report states that government owns 94.6% of the company, with the Department of Transport and the Public Investment Corporation holding the majority state interests, while the remaining shares are held by minority investors.
This ownership structure gives government a significant interest in the organisation's performance.
At the same time, ACSA operates as a commercial company and must maintain financial sustainability.
The combination means that the airport operator has to balance public-interest objectives with commercial responsibilities.
The incoming CEO will therefore have to manage expectations from government while also dealing with airlines, passengers, employees, investors, suppliers and other commercial partners.
Infrastructure And Passenger Experience
Airport infrastructure has a direct impact on passenger experience.
Long queues, inadequate facilities, outdated technology or unreliable systems can affect the perception of an airport even when flights themselves operate normally.
ACSA's current strategy specifically identifies customer experience as an area requiring continued attention.
The company's integrated report says it wants to strengthen operational excellence through safe, reliable and efficient airport operations while improving passenger experience.
This makes infrastructure spending more than an accounting issue.
Capital investment is ultimately expected to improve the physical and technological environment in which passengers, airlines and airport employees operate.
For Mthethwa, one challenge will be ensuring that major projects are completed in a way that produces visible improvements rather than simply increasing expenditure.
Connectivity And Economic Growth
South Africa's airports are also important gateways for tourism and international business.
O.R. Tambo International connects Johannesburg and Gauteng with international destinations, while Cape Town International and King Shaka International serve major tourism and economic centres.
ACSA's network also includes airports supporting other provinces and regional economies.
The company's strategy therefore links airport development to broader economic activity.
Improved connectivity can make it easier for tourists to enter the country, for businesses to reach customers and partners and for cargo to move through international supply chains.
Airport infrastructure can consequently influence economic development beyond the aviation industry itself.
Cargo Is Another Growth Area
Cargo is another area identified in ACSA's corporate planning.
The company's 2026 corporate plan established cargo throughput as a performance indicator and projected increases in cargo handled across its airport network.
Cargo infrastructure is important because airports do not function only as passenger facilities.
Air freight can support high-value and time-sensitive goods, including certain manufactured products, perishables and other commodities that require rapid transportation.
Improving cargo facilities can therefore contribute to trade and economic activity.
For ACSA, the challenge will be to expand cargo-related opportunities while maintaining the core passenger and aviation services for which its airports are responsible.
What Happens Before November
Mthethwa will not take over immediately.
Charles Shilowa remains acting CEO until the end of October, after which Mthethwa assumes the position on 1 November.
The transition period provides an opportunity for the incoming executive to prepare for the handover and engage with the board and management on the company's immediate priorities.
Those priorities include infrastructure investment, operational efficiency, passenger experience, financial sustainability, digital transformation and continued recovery in aviation activity.
The transition also gives the company an opportunity to maintain continuity rather than leaving the organisation without permanent executive leadership.
The Road Ahead For South Africa's Airports
Mthethwa is returning to ACSA at a point when the company is no longer primarily defined by the financial shock of the pandemic.
The organisation has recovered substantially and is now looking towards growth, infrastructure development and technological modernisation.
That transition creates a different set of challenges.
The company must determine where to invest, how quickly projects can be delivered, how infrastructure should be financed and how airports can accommodate future passenger and cargo demand.
It must also maintain strong governance while dealing with the complexity of a large state-owned enterprise.
The new CEO's financial background could be particularly relevant as ACSA seeks to convert its stronger financial position into infrastructure and operational improvements.
But financial strength alone will not determine the company's performance.
The effectiveness of procurement, project management, engineering, technology deployment, airport operations and stakeholder management will also influence the results of the new administration.
A New Chapter For ACSA
The appointment of Siphamandla Mthethwa gives ACSA a permanent chief executive after a period of acting leadership.
His return also provides the company with an executive who already understands its operations and financial structure from his previous time as CFO.
He will begin his term on 1 November, taking over an organisation with a recovering aviation market, a large airport network and significant infrastructure requirements.
The immediate task will be to maintain the progress already achieved while accelerating investment and improving the experience of people using South Africa's airports.
The longer-term challenge will be to ensure that ACSA remains financially sustainable while continuing to develop infrastructure capable of supporting South Africa's trade, tourism and economic needs.
The company's latest strategy places emphasis on three broad areas: innovation, growth and sustainability.
Innovation includes digital transformation and smarter airport systems.
Growth includes connectivity, cargo, revenue diversification and airport development.
Sustainability includes resilience, environmental responsibility and socio-economic contribution.
Those priorities provide the framework within which Mthethwa will begin his tenure.
His previous experience at ACSA means that he is returning to a familiar organisation, but the airport company he inherits is not the same one he left in 2023.
Passenger traffic has recovered, technology has become more central to airport operations and the need for infrastructure investment has become more pressing.
The company also has a stronger financial base from which to pursue its plans.
The key issue now will be execution.
ACSA's ability to turn its financial recovery into completed infrastructure projects, efficient operations, improved passenger services and stronger long-term connectivity will determine how the next phase develops.
For South Africa, the performance of the airport operator matters well beyond the terminals themselves.
The country's major airports are gateways for tourists, businesses, workers, investors and international trade.
As Mthethwa prepares to return on 1 November, ACSA enters a period in which investment decisions made today will influence the country's aviation infrastructure for years to come.
The new CEO therefore takes over at a moment of transition: the immediate crisis of the pandemic has passed, but the next challenge is to build an airport network capable of supporting South Africa's future economic and aviation needs.
ACSA's stated priorities are clear. The coming years will show how effectively the organisation can translate those priorities into new infrastructure, stronger operations, better passenger experiences and sustainable growth.
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