South Africa’s aviation authority is grappling with a critical shortage of air-traffic controllers, a challenge that is straining service delivery and threatening the stability of the nation’s airspace management, Bloomberg reported.

Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), the state-owned company responsible for overseeing 6.1% of global airspace, said the exodus of skilled personnel has “almost compromised service delivery.” According to its 2025 annual report, the agency continues to struggle to fill key roles, particularly among air-traffic controllers (ATCs).

Chairman Zola Majavu said that locally trained controllers remain in high demand abroad, leading to a persistent outflow of experienced staff that the domestic training system cannot match. “The outflow of experienced personnel has outpaced the capacity of our training pipeline,” Majavu noted.

In the year ending March, ATNS recorded 86 staff departures, including 50 from its air-traffic services division alone. The company described the situation as “a department-specific crisis beyond typical organizational turnover patterns,” adding that it requires “immediate attention and sustained intervention.”

ATNS attributed the talent drain to competitive remuneration and incentive packages offered by international aviation providers, which it cannot match.

To address the crisis, the agency has begun an accelerated recruitment programme for critical positions such as air-traffic service personnel, flight procedure designers, and engineers. Majavu said the plan also includes encouraging former ATNS employees to return home to help bridge the expertise gap within the next 18 months to three years.