Rob Hersov’s latest mercantile venture, the redevelopment of the dormant Cape Winelands Airport is advancing rapidly, with an estimated project cost of R7 billion earmarked for its first phase.

The airport is situated between Paarl and Bellville, at the site of an old and neglected South African airforce base. In November 2020, it was purchased by Cape Winelands Aero, supported by a consortium of private investors, including Rob Hersov.

Formerly known as the Fisantekraal Airfield, the airport has an historical legacy dating back to its construction circa 1943 when it served as a base for Lockheed Ventura bombers. Transitioning into private ownership in 1993, the airport has since been used primarily to land small private planes.

Integral to the redevelopment are additional on-site developments, including cargo terminals, aircraft hangars, a hotel, heliport, and warehousing and logistics facilities. The comprehensive Master Plan and various specialized aviation studies were meticulously conducted by the local office of NACO, Netherlands Airport Consultants.

Business partner Fly Africa, the Zimbabwean airline, has confirmed that the developers overseeing the airport's transformation South Africa, will be commencing the environmental approval process for the redevelopment this month.

Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) will have to be completed, as part of the legally mandated process. EIAs are often stumbling blocks for major developments, from power plants to wastewater treatment facilities, but the developers remain confident their development will go through smoothly.

The overarching vision for the airport is its conversion into an international commercial hub. Development plans include the realignment of the primary runway, extending it to a length of 3500 meters, which should be sufficient to land almost any type of aircraft.

Presently boasting four runways, the airport's expansion also encompasses the construction of a state-of-the-art passenger terminal designed to accommodate a 5.2 million annual passengers.

Road safety to and from Cape Town International has been of concern in recent years, with several tourists being hijacked en route. The routes surrounding the Winelands airport are significantly less dangerous in this regard.

However, such large-scale commercial developments surrounded by open spaces, as Winelands airport is, tend to be a magnet for land invasions, as migrants from outside the province arrive to seek work, which could increase the amount of crime and property rights confrontations over the next several years.

This ambitions undertaking not only attempts to position itself as formidable long-term competition for Cape Town International Airport, but also underscores Cape Town's ability to attract substantial private investments.

The redevelopment promises a substantial increase in economic development toward the Cape heartlands as Cape Town’s capacity begins to strain, and follows the increasing refocusing of investment from the South African interior to the Cape.

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