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SAA launches direct Johannesburg-Lubumbashi flights to boost trade

6 Nov 2024

South African Airways (SAA) has launched its first direct flight from Johannesburg to Lubumbashi, marking a boost in connectivity and trade between South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The A320 aircraft departed OR Tambo International Airport at 10.50am. and landed at Luano International Airport just over three hours later. The new route offers five weekly flights, catering to both direct and connecting passengers.

Source: Konstantin von Wedelstaedt via Wikimedia Commons

With many of the DRC’s major companies headquartered in Lubumbashi, SAA’s new Johannesburg-Lubumbashi route is set to enhance business travel, offering convenient departure and arrival times that allow for smooth transfers to corporate offices and key mining sites in both the DRC and neighbouring Zambia.

Driving trade and industry

This new connectivity supports trade and industry between the two nations, making business access more efficient.

Professor John Lamola, SAA's interim chief executive, says: "As an enabler of trade and commerce in Africa, SAA connects two of Africa’s most influential economies and mining centres, bringing together industries, communities and entrepreneurs and enabling us to unlock greater prosperity, foster collaboration and generate new opportunities for trade, investment and development."

South Africa and the DRC enjoy a robust trade relationship, with South Africa’s exports to the DRC growing at a compound annual rate of 50% between 2018 and 2022. In 2022, South Africa exported R26.6bn worth of goods, primarily refined petroleum and mining machinery, to the DRC. Meanwhile, the DRC’s exports to South Africa totalled R2.4bn, consisting mainly of refined copper, precious metal scraps, raw zinc, and other minerals.

The new direct flights between South Africa and the DRC are expected to bolster trade, benefiting both nations and the broader African economy.

Enhanced cargo capacity

SAA’s aircraft on this route offer enhanced belly cargo capacity, supporting the mining, infrastructure, and industrial sectors across the continent by meeting essential cargo transport needs.

“Through this flight, we are not merely adding another regional route to our itinerary list; we are also reinforcing a vision for Africa’s future: one where trade flows freely, enabled by connectivity and networking,” says Lamola.

“SAA is honoured to play a role in furthering the legacy of friendship and shared prosperity between South Africa and the DRC. We believe in the immense potential of Africa, and today we are reminded of the power that lies in our connections, our partnerships and our shared commitment to growth.”