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ACS Slams Acsa for Blocking Baggage Screening Upgrades After Grenade Incident Know More



Monday, July 28, 2025

The Aviation Co-ordination Services (ACS) is accusing the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) of compromising airport security following the grenade incident at OR Tambo International Airport in May 2025. The security breach could’ve been avoided had the company been permitted to upgrade old screening equipment for more advanced technology, according to ACS. Acsa has stymied ACS’s ability to institute critical HBS systems, vital to security, for years, although the resources and the technology was available for improvement. The incident has inflamed longstanding enmity between the two parties, and concerns have been raised about airport security and safety.

Blocked Efforts to Upgrade Security

May 25, 2025 grenade incidentThe event that ignited the rage over OR Tambo International Airport’s security happened on May 25, 2025. According to ACS, the company in charge of hold baggage screening at OR Tambo and King Shaka airports, the situation could have been prevented if ACS had been given approval to install upgrades to its HBS (holdbag screening) equipments. Over the past eight years, Acsa had actively prevented outdated weapons-screening technology being replaced with more advanced, AI-driven systems, the company alleges.

The state-of-the-art the screening machine internet company wanted to deploy would have dramatically decreased human error by utilizing sophisticated algorithms and 3D-screening technology to better detect potential security threats with greater precision than ever possible before, ACS argues. But Acsa’s unwillingness to approve these updates has made the airport susceptible to security breaches.

Court Ruling Against Acsa’s Actions

ACSA’s allegations followed Acsa losing an appeal in May 2025. Acsa’s effort to terminate its contract with ACS and take over the HBS operations at OR Tambo and King Shaka airports was blocked by a court ruling in November 2024. Its victory in the battle to prevent Acsa from moving on its own was a big win for ACS, which maintains its legal status as the sole provider of HBS services.

Notwithstanding this judicial rebuff, ACS has been running into difficulty in its attempts to shore up security at major airports. The company contends that Acsa’s refusal to cooperate is endangering the public, especially if errors become systemic, as the aviation industry is dependent on reliable, faultless processing of baggage to guarantee the safety of passengers.

The Grenade Incident A Tragedy That Could Have Been Prevented?

The grenade security scare at OR Tambo International Airpor twas a shot across the bows of the aviation industry and both airlines and aviation authorities in equal measure. The ACS examination of the occurrence found that it was initiated by human factors. “However ACS believes that this matter is not seen in a vacuum. Rather, the bigger picture of Acsa’s inhibition of equipment renewal must be looked at.

ACS argues that the event would have been prevented had it implemented its more sophisticated screening equipment. In obstructing these upgrades, Acsa has effectively become a threat to aviation security and the safety of the public. The longstanding problem has led to a public spat, with ACS accusing Acsa of placing other interests before those of the safety and efficiency of the airport’s security operation.

Continuing ‘tug-of-war’ between ACS and Acsa

The ongoing tussle between ACS and Acsa is a microcosm of a wider battle over airport security in South Africa. Security challenges are evolving, so airports need to be up-to-date with the latest technology to avoid security gaps. ACS states that Acsa’s sustained resistance to key upgrades is making it increasingly difficult for the company to discharge its duty, and the safety of the flying public to be assured.

To make matters worse, the implications are not only for one institution, but also for the entire commercial aviation industry, which is dependent on efficient baggage screening systems to secure its passengers. ACS is demanding an immediate review of the situation, and wants Acsa to reconsider its position that security infrastructure has to be modernised.

The Route to Safer Airports

With the probe into the grenade attack still ongoing, pressure is piling on both ACS and Acsa to reach a solution. HBS equipment To upgrade It is important to continue to put the emphasis on securing approval to upgrade HBS equipment and for the new technology to go ahead to keep both passengers and staff safe.

For Acsa, the key challenge is to counter accusations of neglect while redesigning the terms on which it will work with ACS. Going forward, these entities would have to come together to secure South Africa’s airports and protect international and domestically-bound passengers.

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