Easter Weekend and the South African Airways Museum
Preserving South Africa's Civil Aviation History since 1986
By Willie Bodenstein
05.04.2026
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The history of the museum dates back to 1973 with ZS-ASN, a Lockheed Lodestar. This iconic aircraft was manufactured in 1940 and used on the shuttle service to and from Egypt. It was the oldest aircraft in existence to have served South African Airways (SAA) and was gathering dust in a storage building at the South African Railways Museum before she was rescued by the museum.
From a rescued Lockheed Lodestar to the legendary Boeing 747 “Maluti,” the South African Airways Museum at Rand Airport preserves some of the most remarkable chapters of the country's civil aviation story. Run entirely by passionate volunteers, this working museum offers visitors a rare opportunity to step aboard historic aircraft and experience aviation history up close.
A museum highlight is the famous Boeing 747Lebombo. Visitors are allowed to explore the aircraft, visit the crew's sleeping quarters, and even discover what colour the “black box” really is.
The museum is run and operated by volunteers of the South African Airways Museum Society, which was founded in 1986 by individuals within South African Airways and interested outside parties. The aim of the society, then and now, is to preserve the history of South African Airways as well as that of general civil aviation in South Africa. Another important objective is to create awareness of the greatness of South African aviation and the role it has played in society.
Static display aircraft are used to their fullest extent for aviation awareness programmes as well as for fundraising for the Society. Much-needed funds for preservation efforts are generated through the utilisation of Lebombo and other static display aircraft. These aircraft are available for small corporate-related functions such as board meetings, conferences, product launches, award ceremonies and even weddings.
One of the museum's most notable exhibits is the iconic Super Constellation (Starliner) ZS-DVJ, which, after a rather brief career with Trek Airways and SAA, was parked in 1979 at OR Tambo - then Jan Smuts International - and almost forgotten. Thanks to the dedication of the SAA Museum Society, the aircraft was moved by road to the museum premises, where it now proudly forms part of the collection.
The Lockheed Constellation must surely rank among the most attractive airliners ever to grace the skies. Its unique triple-tail design and sleek, dolphin-shaped fuselage made it stand apart from all others in use when it first flew on 9 January 1943.
I decided to visit on Sunday when the museum had planned an Easter Egg Run as well as a virtual flight in a DC-4. Arriving at the museum, I found that I was the only visitor and was advised by the friendly and helpful staff that the flights and children's entertainment were hosted at the airport proper. They also mentioned that they had been extremely busy on Saturday, good news for the museum, which is truly one of the aviation gems on our doorstep.
A sad addition added since my last visit is these pieces of wreckage recovered from the tragic Helderberg accident.
If you haven't visited yet, please do. Here are some comments from recent visitors:
“Excellent experience for our learners. Very educational ... Learners were in awe!!!!!” - Nomsa Mhlongo
“Had an event here. WOW... So awesome to be surrounded by these planes. Saw the SAA plane that flew over Ellis Park for the Rugby World Cup in 1995. The team that worked there were fantastic.” - Evi M.
“A great guide went all out to make us feel welcome, answer our questions, and surprise and keep our little one stimulated. The opportunity to see and explore parts of a real-life aircraft that you do not get an opportunity to do as a passenger is invaluable.” - Ebrahim Moosa
The South African Airways Museum remains a living tribute to the country's civil aviation heritage, preserved not by large institutions, but by passionate volunteers determined to keep these remarkable stories alive for future generations.
The Museum is based at the ex-Transvaal Aviation Club complex in Dakota Crescent at Rand Airport in Germiston and is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm.
