O.R Tambo international Airport, Johannesburg

O.R-Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg

This is the major international airport located near the city of Johannesburg. It serves as the primary airport for domestic and international travel to and from South Africa and is one of the busiest airports in South Africa with a capacity to handle up to 30 million passengers annually. The airports actually serve all continents except Antarctica. The famous airport is the hub of South Africa largest international and domestic carrier. The first actual renaming of the airport was done in 1994 when the newly reformed South African government implemented a national policy of not naming airports after politicians.

The airport information

The famous O.R Tambo international airport is a hot and high airport which is situated almost 1700 meters above sea level where the air is thin making the aircraft to reduce weight by loading less fuel than they would have otherwise. The actual thin air is the reason why we have longer runways in the airport. On some major routes like the North America route it actually means that flights form Johannesburg actually need to refuel while en route while the return flight originating from lower altitude airport can actually upload enough fuel to reach the city of Johannesburg.

Runways

There are two major parallel north –south runways and a much discussed runway. The famous western runway is practically over 4400 m long making it one of the longest international runways in the world. During the busy periods, outbound flights usually use the western runway for takeoff while inbound flights use the eastern runway for landing. Wind factors at times cause numerous variations but most days flights will take off to the north and land from the south. Passengers coming can pre book Johannesburg airport taxis for on time pickups.

South African airways

The famous O.R Tambo international Airport used to serve as grounds for the South African airways museum. This famous room full of South African airways memorabilia was actually started by some two fans of the airlines as temporary location until they could set it up in one of Jan Smults International’s building in the year 1987.The famous museum gradually shifted to the now famous rand airport.

History of South Africa

South Africa in its past has been plagued with many horrors time and again. South Africa was most affected by the racial discrimination subjected against the local black population by the white colonials. For many hundred years, South Africa had been oppressed under colonial subjugation. South Africa had been an object of keen interests for many a colonial ruler at the time because of being rich in several minerals. South Africa in fact happens to be the greatest reserve of diamonds and it also has vast resources of gold. Such abundance of resources made it all the more susceptible to exploitation. South African population was employed to work on these mines. These workers were thoroughly overworked, almost to death.

In the early twentieth Century

The suffering of South African was further accentuated because of the British had elected to call upon Chinese labour workers to work on the diamond and gold mines. Because of the arrival of Chinese labourer, the condition of south Indian labours worsened as they were made to lower their minimum wages even further. In the following years the white rule faced sever opposition for the black workers who had been subjected far too much of cruel and unjust policies.

Reforms in South Africa

South Africa saw a significant amount of change in its condition. Mahatma Gandhi started a non-violent anti-apartheid movement which forever sowed the seeds of revolution in the hearts of South Africans. It was later when Nelson Mandela rose to prominence; he completely changed the condition of the country and perhaps changed history of the whole world. He became a sort of icon in the eyes of all those who had been the victim of racial prejudice or hatred. With his admirable and tolerance he won over the hearts of many and brought a feeling of solidarity in all the South Africans. Many white people were also inspired by his greatness and joined the social revolution. In time, Nelson Mandela became the leader of South Africa and was elected president. Then nation which then appeared from the ashes of the colonial rule was the first nation free of any racial conflict.