We were honoured to host the leadership team behind the proposed Cape Winelands Airport for a high-level engagement with our members and other interested stakeholders. The session explored the project’s vision, progress and economic potential, and its role as a catalytic driver of regional growth in the Western Cape.
Opening the session, Ryan Ravens, Accelerate Cape Town (ACT) CEO, described the development as a significant milestone and reflective of strong market interest. He emphasised that the world’s most successful cities and regions share a common trait: strong global connectivity.
“Regions and cities that have thrived the most are the ones best connected to the world,” Ryan said. In an increasingly fragmented global context, that connectivity is becoming even more critical. Airports, he argued, are no longer simply runways and terminals. They are engines of economic growth, platforms for global integration and powerful symbols of a region’s ambition.
For a country such as South Africa, strengthening its value proposition through collaboration is vital. Ryan stressed that the real opportunity lies not only in the airport infrastructure itself, but in how the public and private sectors align to unlock its full economic potential, underscoring the need for continued coordinated partnerships to drive regional growth.
Nicholas Ferguson, Managing Director of rsa.AERO, the holding company behind the development, reflected on the four-year journey to date. What began as a 150-hectare acquisition has expanded to just under 900 hectares, enabling the development of a 3.5km runway aligned for optimal operations.
“This will outlive all of us,” Nicholas noted, describing the project as generational in impact. As a private-sector-led initiative, it required innovative structuring and a robust commercial model to ensure viability. “As with anything in life, the product must be good,” he said. “Our product is good, and it’s been a product of our team.”
Deon Cloete, Managing Director of capewinelands.AERO and former head of Cape Town International Airport and King Shaka International Airport, brings over 30 years of airport leadership experience to the project.
Deon explained that engagement with stakeholders and surrounding communities began five years ago. “We are a proxy for what the industry has told us they need,” he said, emphasising that a compelling value proposition must be matched by a sound commercial case. Key differentiators include in-house capabilities across air traffic navigation, ICT and fuel management, including digital control tower technology.
Fuel security and quality are central to the strategy. Airlines operating long-haul routes to Cape Town currently carry significant additional fuel for diversion purposes due to limited regional alternatives. With a second major airport in the Western Cape, airlines could reduce discretionary fuel uplift, potentially lowering operating costs by up to 5% per flight while also decreasing carbon emissions. These savings, independently verified and presented to airlines, form part of the commercial agreements underpinning the funding model.
Strategically located just 5km off the N1 and positioned between two major provincial roads, the airport also sits near an existing rail link connecting to the Port of Cape Town and Saldanha Bay. This creates the opportunity for a fully integrated air, road, rail and ocean logistics platform. Deon noted that Cape Town was historically built around its port and that future competitiveness will depend on robust air access. “We are remote,” he said. “Our ability to move people, goods and even information is critical.”
The masterplan allows for capacity of up to five million passengers. The first phase will utilise approximately 450 hectares following a significant rezoning application described by the City of Cape Town as one of the largest in recent history. Development will be phased to match demand, ensuring responsiveness without overextending capacity.
The airport is envisioned as smart, green and innovative and ‘an airport of the future’ rather than a legacy design. Digital systems, sustainable infrastructure and landscaping reflective of the Winelands (including vineyards integrated into the broader precinct) are central to the concept.
The project received environmental approval from the Department of Environmental Affairs on 27 October 2025 following a lengthy Environmental Impact Assessment process. Six appeals were lodged and responses submitted, with the matter currently under ministerial consideration.
Funding discussions are advanced, with approximately 35–40% equity targeted and the balance through loan funding supported by commercial lease agreements and airline partnerships. A strategic partnership with Growthpoint Properties has been secured, and WBHO has been announced as contractor. Construction is scheduled to commence in Q4 2026, and the build is expected to take between two and two-and-a-half year, with a planned opening in 2028.
With regards to its economic impact, Deon outlined an estimated R8.8 billion contribution to GDP during the construction phase, approximately 35,000 jobs created in the build phase, and more than 100,000 sustained jobs over a 20-year period.
Beyond macroeconomic impact, the team emphasised local employment, skills development and sustained community engagement. “The airport follows the city, the city follows the airport, the airport becomes the city,” Deon said.
The session concluded with a robust Q&A covering rail integration, sustainability, congestion mitigation, retail and amenities, and local participation, amongst other. The overarching theme remained consistent: connectivity, collaboration and commercial viability are key to unlocking the Western Cape’s next phase of growth.
ACT remains committed to fostering meaningful engagement among all stakeholders and to using this platform to support collaboration across sectors. Our focus remains firmly on delivering tangible outcomes that contribute to shared economic growth and prosperity.
We thank our guests and members for their continued support, and KPMG for partnering with us as event sponsor.
