Stellenbosch University (SU), a public research university situated in Stellenbosch, a town in South Africa’s Western Cape province surrounded by the picturesque vineyards of the Cape Winelands and the mountainous nature reserves of Joenkershoek, has entered into a formal partnership with Cape Winelands Airport (formerly Fisantekraal Airfoeld) located at Lichtenburg Road (R312), approximately 13 kilometres northeast of Durbanville.
The expansion project with an investment of R8 million aims to create a second major international airport for the Western Cape and will blend infrastructure development with cutting - edge academic research.
The airport is designed to serve as an alternative to Cape Town International Airport, featuring s planned 3.5 kilometres runway capable of handling wide - body aircraft and offering more direct access to the Western Cape’s wine regions.
The collaboration will span spatial planning, transport and logistics, aviation research and agricultural and food processing with construction scheduled to begin in late 2026 and expected to begin commercial operations in early 2028.
The terminal will be built in a park - like environment featuring vineyards, a conference centre, a hotel, and outdoor entertainment spaces. The airport will also include advanced prototyping labs, pilot training facilities, and smart aerospace zones.
In addition the air hub introduces dedicated agri - processing zones to optimize cold chains and farm - flight efficiency for exports.
The partnership will create applied research and practical learning opportunities for students with initial proposals including Master’s - level engineering research projects linked to the airport’s development.
Over its first 20 years of operation, the airport is projected to support 35.000 direct and !00.000 indirect jobs, positioning it as a significant economic driver for the region.
For the tourism industry, the development adds wave of aviation investment in the Western Cape - Cape Town International Airport is currently undergoing s separate R10 billion upgrade under ACSA’s national infrastructure programme, while the private Atlantic Aerodrome near Philadelphia, a village located 23 km north - east of Durbanville is scheduled to open in September 2026.
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