A new international airport is set to open in South Africa to ease “increasing demand” at Cape Town airport.
The R8 billion (£352m) expansion project will allow Cape Winelands airport to operate domestic and international flights by 2028.
The site on the Fisantekraal airfield was established in 1943 as a base for the South African Air Force and currently serves as a general aviation facility for light aircraft.
The hub, north-east of Durbanville, announced an agreement with Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) as the contracting partner for the technical development and construction of the airport.
Development plans aim to create a “world-class aviation and logistics hub that supports economic growth, attracts new investment and enhances regional connectivity.”
The project includes the construction of a new passenger terminal, a cargo processing facility, fuelling facilities, hotel accommodation and a heliport, with a capacity for more than five million annual travellers by 2050.
Cape Winelands airport is expected to sustain approximately 100,000 direct and indirect jobs during its initial 20 years of operation.
The current runway space will be extended to two miles to accommodate wide-body aircraft, with construction expected to start in early of 2026.
Deon Cloete, managing director of Cape Winelands, said: “With the contractor now formally on board, the project advances into a crucial new phase – detailed technical development and planning.”
The expansion project will “further strengthen the region’s competitiveness and expand tourism opportunities across the Western Cape and beyond” as a gateway for tourists visiting the region’s vineyards, said Cape Winelands airport.
Read more: Everything you need to know about Heathrow’s expansion plans
