Millionaire hotspot closer to getting its own international airport in South Africa
The Cape Winelands in the Western Cape is one step closer to getting its own international airport in South Africa.
The R8 billion Cape Winelands Airport project received environmental approval from the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning.
With this approval, developers can now begin preparing final plans and implementation measures ahead of construction. Construction is expected to begin next year, with the airport scheduled to open in 2028.
Cape Winelands Airport managing director Deon Cloete said the approval is a major step forward.
“It’s an important validation of the extensive work and consultation that has gone into ensuring this project meets the highest environmental and community standards,” he said.
The project also has a major new partner in Growthpoint Properties, one of South Africa’s biggest property companies.
Growthpoint has made an initial investment in the airport and will manage the development’s logistics, commercial, and hospitality components.
The company will also oversee the main contractor and has the first right to invest in future property developments around the site.
According to RSA Aero and Growthpoint, the airport team will handle aviation planning and operations, while Growthpoint brings investment capital and property development expertise.
RSA Aero managing director Nicholas Ferguson said the partnership gives the project the backing needed to deliver a world-class airport.
“Growthpoint’s partnership provides the foundation and delivery capacity needed to build an airport precinct of global quality that will serve the region for generations,” he said.
Growthpoint CEO Norbert Sasse said the development would create long-term value and act as a major growth driver for the Western Cape.
“Cape Winelands Airport and its partners have set in motion a powerful catalyst for long-term value creation and a legacy asset for the Western Cape,” he said.
The airport will be located 13 kilometres north-east of Durbanville on the old Fisantekraal Airfield site.
The airfield was built in 1943 by the South African Air Force and later became a base for general aviation.
It was privatised in 1993 and bought by private investors in 2020. Now owned and operated by RSA Aero, it will be transformed into Cape Town’s second international airport.
Millionaire hotspot
Plans for the new facility include extending and realigning the main runway to 3,500 metres so it can handle larger aircraft.
The current site has four runways, two of which are inactive. A new terminal will be built to handle 5.2 million passengers a year, and by 2050, the airport is expected to process around 2 million international and 3 million domestic travellers annually.
This would double the number of passengers flying in and out of the broader Cape region from 10 million to 20 million a year.
Growthpoint’s head of corporate advisory, Werner van Antwerpen, said the airport would help strengthen the region’s tourism and investment appeal.
“Tourism and foreign direct investment are powerful economic multipliers, and we have the opportunity to influence the tourist experience at both the Cape Winelands Airport and the V&A Waterfront,” he said.
The Cape Winelands is one of the country’s wealthiest areas and a popular place for high-income families.
It is home to top schools, wine estates, and lifestyle estates that attract both locals and international buyers.
The Africa Wealth Report ranks it as the second-richest area in the Western Cape, with about 3,600 dollar millionaires, 16 centi-millionaires, and two billionaires.
The region covers the municipalities of Stellenbosch, Drakenstein, Witzenberg, Breede Valley, and Langeberg, including major towns like Franschhoek, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Worcester, Ceres, and Robertson.
According to Wesgro, the Western Cape’s tourism and investment agency, the region has experienced strong and consistent economic growth, expanding by more than 12% between 2014 and 2023, from R59.6 billion to R66.8 billion.
Cape Winelands Airport
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