Growthpoint Properties Invests R8bn in Cape Winelands Airport Development, Creating 100,000 Jobs and a Sustainable Aviation Hub
Growthpoint Properties has announced an initial R8 billion investment in the Cape Winelands Airport precinct, marking the start of a landmark partnership with RSA Aero to deliver a world-class aviation, hospitality, and industrial hub north of Cape Town.
The privately owned airport, to be built on the site of the former Fisantekraal airfield, will serve as a catalyst for regional trade, tourism, and logistics development, creating an estimated 35,000 direct and indirect jobs initially and up to 100,000 jobs over its first 20 years of operation.
Transformative Investment in Regional Infrastructure
The initial R8bn capital injection will fund the construction of runways, terminal buildings, and a 450-hectare developable estate, forming the backbone of a next-generation airport precinct.
Growthpoint, which co-owns Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront and holds property assets worth R155.8 billion, brings extensive experience in large-scale, mixed-use, and tourism-led developments to the project.
Under the agreement, Growthpoint will assume long-term property and asset management responsibilities for the precinct’s logistics, commercial, and hospitality components.
While the terminal buildings will remain under separate management, Growthpoint retains first right of refusal to co-invest in future property phases.
“Growthpoint’s partnership provides the institutional foundation and delivery capacity needed to build an airport precinct of global quality that will serve the region for generations to come,” said Nicholas Ferguson, Managing Director of RSA Aero, which owns and operates Cape Winelands Airport.
A Catalyst for Sustainable Growth and Investment
Growthpoint Properties Group CEO, Norbert Sasse, said the partnership represents a catalyst for long-term value creation and a legacy infrastructure project for the Western Cape.
“We are pleased to contribute to Cape Town’s and South Africa’s sustainable growth through this opportunity,” Sasse said.
Werner van Antwerpen, Growthpoint’s Head of Corporate Advisory, added that the project will boost both tourism and foreign direct investment (FDI) — two of South Africa’s most powerful economic multipliers.
“When tourism infrastructure works sustainably and at scale, jobs follow, cities thrive, and communities benefit,” Van Antwerpen said.
Sustainability at the Core of Development
The Cape Winelands Airport aims to become the greenest airport in the world, embedding sustainability throughout its planning, construction, and operations.
The facility will be powered primarily by renewable energy, supported by water reuse systems and designed to achieve carbon neutrality.
Growthpoint’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) expertise will guide the airport’s sustainability framework, ensuring measurable long-term impact.
“Our commitment to Cape Winelands Airport aligns with Growthpoint’s purpose of creating space to thrive,” Sasse noted. “This is about unlocking inclusive growth, enabling enterprise, and setting new standards for sustainable development.”
Construction Timeline and Long-Term Vision
Pending Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approvals, construction is expected to begin early next year. The development will proceed in phases, starting with runway and safety infrastructure, followed by the terminal, cargo, and industrial precincts.
The airport is targeted for commissioning by 2028, with capacity to handle over five million passengers annually by 2050.
The full rollout will span more than two decades, evolving alongside the region’s economic and infrastructure growth.
Once operational, Cape Winelands Airport will serve as the Western Cape’s second major aviation gateway, alleviating pressure on existing infrastructure, reducing logistics costs and carbon emissions, and welcoming both local and international travelers to the Cape’s world-renowned winelands.
Driving the Western Cape’s Next Growth Chapter
The airport precinct is expected to anchor new investment along the Cape Winelands corridor, stimulate business, tourism, and hospitality, and support Cape Town’s northward expansion — the city’s most viable growth path.
“Together with Growthpoint, we’re not just building an airport — we’re building a long-term platform for investment, innovation, and opportunity in the Western Cape,” said Ferguson.
