• Cape Winelands Airport appoints WBHO for 8 billion rand airport development

• Detailed engineering phase begins ahead of planned 2026 construction start

• New airport aims to ease congestion and support tourism growth

Cape Winelands Airport last week appointed WBHO Construction to oversee the technical development and construction of a new airport complex near Cape Town, a project valued at 8 billion rand ($478.5 million). The appointment marks the start of the detailed engineering phase, which will refine technical designs, timelines and project costs ahead of construction.

Developers expect construction work to begin in 2026, subject to regulatory approvals following an environmental impact assessment. The project secured 8 billion rand in financing from Growthpoint Properties, South Africa’s largest real estate investment trust, in October.

The airport will be developed in phases on the site of the former Fisantekraal airfield and is expected to handle more than 5 million passengers a year by 2050. The project is intended to ease congestion at South Africa’s main airports, notably OR Tambo International in Johannesburg and Cape Town International, which together account for more than 70% of domestic air traffic.

Beyond easing capacity constraints, the development supports South Africa’s efforts to expand tourism, as the government targets 21 million international arrivals by 2030. It also reflects the country’s ambition to reinforce its role as a leading civil aviation market in Africa. The project comes as competition intensifies from countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Angola, which are investing heavily in airport infrastructure.

Henoc Dossa