Supporting documents presented by the company reveal it aims to lease Air Zimbabwe’s two stored B777-200ERs, Z-NBE (msn 28422) and Z-RGM (msn 28421).
Zimbabwean start-up Transvaal Africa Airlines has secured an air service permit and is working to finalise certification to launch passenger and cargo flights with three leased Boeing aircraft by the end of the last quarter of 2025, co-owner and CEO Patson Moyo told ch-aviation. Plans include international routes, including London, and developing a cargo hub at Harare International.
Supporting documents presented by the company reveal it aims to lease Air Zimbabwe’s two stored B777-200ERs, Z-NBE (msn 28422) and Z-RGM (msn 28421). The 20-year-old ex-Malaysia Airlines passenger aircraft are currently parked at Harare International, according to ch-aviation fleets data. The air service permit also covers one B737 BCF freighter, still to be sourced with the help of Boeing, Moyo said.
Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure granted Transvaal Africa Airlines a three-year air service permit on December 5, 2024. Contingent on the completion of a five-phase certification process for an air operator’s certificate (AOC) from the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) the permit (valid until December 3, 2027) covers commercial passenger and cargo flights, plus scheduled and non-scheduled charter services.
On November 23, 2024, the company signed an agreement with Boeing in which the manufacturer agreed to assist in an advisory capacity with the start-up’s business plan and launch under its “StartupBoeing” initiative. Approached by ch-aviation, the OEM deferred to Transvaal Africa Airlines for comment.
“We have signed with Boeing for our airline startup process. We also have an arrangement with the [Zimbawean] government for the leasing of the two Boeing 777-200ERs, which are in storage with Air Zimbabwe, which has resulted in the government issuing us with an air service permit,” Moyo explained. “We are also working with Boeing and our financial partners for the acquisition of a Boeing 737 freighter. We are now working on the air operator’s certificate while finalising the local incorporation of the subsidiary Transvaal Africa Airlines,” he elaborated.
The nascent airline will be a subsidiary of Zimbabwe- and South Africa-registered Transvaal Africa founded in 2022. The holding’s divisions span agriculture, logistics, and construction. According to a prospectus shared with ch-aviation, Transvaal Africa is in the implementation phase of ambitious plans to establish a cargo terminal with hangars and cold storage facilities on 110 hectares adjacent to Harare International. The plans also include an upscale airport hotel, shopping mall, and residential housing in the Arlington area near the airport.
Moyo said another subsidiary would be established in Dubai to facilitate dealings with Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), which is setting up the aviation fuel facilities at the planned cargo terminal.
An engineer by trade, Moyo has a background in the mining and processing sectors. Co-owner and aviation division head Patrick Chiwandire is a pilot with 30 years of experience, while the third co-owner, Nomvuyo Dube, is a Zimbabwean businesswoman. – CH-Aviation