Cape Town’s aviation fuel supply has come under pressure over the past two weeks, with the Fuels Industry Association of South Africa and Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) offering assurances — and warnings.
While flights at Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) continue as normal, the association says the underlying administrative problems must be fixed urgently to avoid a potential disruption during the busy holiday period.
SARS audit delays spark initial constraints
On Saturday 15 November, the Fuels Industry Association warned that a prolonged South African Revenue Service (SARS) verification process had resulted in Jet A-1 fuel stocks being held at Burgan Cape Terminals in the Port of Cape Town.
Because the product could not be released while the audit continued, one of the airport’s suppliers struggled to uplift fuel, placing strain on reserves and contingency plans.
The terminal typically holds around 20 days’ worth of aviation fuel — a critical buffer for national flight operations.
The association said it supports SARS’s compliance checks but cautioned that the lengthy process was creating “a real risk of fuel shortages that could disrupt flights, impact tourism, and undermine the Western Cape economy”.
ACSA: Fuel supply “largely stable” with workarounds in place
On Monday 17 November, ACSA responded to the industry concerns, stressing that CTIA’s fuel supply “remains largely stable” and that there was no threat to aviation plans for the G20 Leaders Summit (held in Johannesburg over the past weekend).
ACSA confirmed that one supplier was affected by “outstanding matters with SARS”, resulting in temporary constraints for four airlines.
To keep flights running smoothly, these airlines were permitted to take on extra fuel at OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) before flying to Cape Town — a workaround to ensure supply was stabilised by Wednesday 19 November.
The airport operator said it continues to work closely with the industry to minimise any impact on passengers and operations.
Industry points to deeper regulatory gaps
In a further update on Friday 21 November, the Fuels Industry Association clarified that the fuel constraints were not caused by unpaid taxes, sabotage or any attempt to bypass SARS. Instead, it pointed to long-standing gaps in the Customs and Excise Act that make it difficult for independent storage facilities to register to handle duty-free aviation kerosene.
Because aviation fuel is chemically similar to other kerosene products, government applies different taxes and chemical markers to prevent misuse — particularly the illegal blending of household kerosene into diesel.
But while the rules for fuel movement are clear, the association says the registration pathway for independent storage operators is not.
This lack of clarity, it warns, threatens existing fuel storage infrastructure in Cape Town, Durban, and East London and could discourage investment in new storage at major airports.
The association described the issue as “solvable” and called for urgent cooperation with SARS to restore normal operations and protect aviation connectivity, tourism, and the broader economy.
Passengers were not affected — but calls for urgency grow
For now, travellers flying through Cape Town are unlikely to notice any disruptions. Airlines have been able to work around supply constraints, and ACSA maintains that CTIA remains ready to meet all operational fuel needs.
However, industry leaders say the situation highlights vulnerabilities in the country’s aviation fuel system — and emphasise that swift administrative action is needed to prevent future instability.
The association says it will continue engaging with SARS and government and will provide updates as the situation develops.
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