The Namibia Airports Company (NAC) announced on Saturday that the company Menzies Aviation (Namibia) will no longer provide ground handling services at Hosea Kutako International Airport.
The announcement was made by the NAC’s chief executive officer, Bisey Uirab, who stated that Menzies had ceased providing ground handling services at the airport on 18 August.
The eviction follows months of legal wrangling in which Menzies contested a High Court judgment authorising its eviction from the airport.
In a judgement delivered in the Windhoek High Court near the end of June last year and upheld by the Supreme Court on 9 June this year, the court authorised the deputy sheriff of the High Court to evict Menzies from the airport and from all premises occupied by the company at the airport.
Menzies entered an agreement with the NAC to provide ground handling services at Hosea Kutako International Airport in 2014.
The initial agreement expired at the end of 2021, and new bids for the provision of ground handling services at the airport were invited by the NAC.
Paragon Investment Holdings won the bid to provide the services. The NAC’s decision to award the contract to Paragon is being challenged by Menzies in a case pending in the High Court.
Uirab said the decision to evict Menzies was to uphold the rule of law and facilitate a seamless transition for Paragon.
“Paragon’s commencement to perform ground handling services at HKIA heeds the Supreme Court’s assertion that Menzies relied on unlawful self-help to stay put and had, to date hereof, occupied the premises unlawfully for about a year,” said Uirab.
He urged stakeholders to cooperate with Paragon, while ensuring uninterrupted ground handling services at the airport.
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