Africa-Press – South-Africa. Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) has been appointed as the contractor responsible for the technical development and eventual construction of the new R8 billion Cape Winelands Airport.
The appointment marks a significant step toward transforming the old Fisantekraal Airfield, 13 kilometres northeast of Durbanville, into a modern aviation hub capable of handling millions of passengers.
WBHO is no stranger to projects of this scale. The 55-year-old company traces its origins to 1970, when founders John Wilson and Brian Holmes established the original Wilson-Holmes.
A series of mergers in the decades that followed saw the company evolve into Wilson Bayly Holmes in 1983 and later adopt its current name, WBHO Construction, in 1994.
Over the years, it has grown into one of South Africa’s largest construction firms, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and active across South Africa and abroad.
Its offices stretch from Sandton to Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and East London, while its Australian footprint is anchored by an office in Melbourne.
Its project history is equally widespread. WBHO has built some of South Africa’s most recognisable and strategically important developments.
These include the Mall of Africa, Cape Town Stadium, Moses Mabhida Stadium, King Shaka International Airport and major renewable energy facilities such as the Kathu Solar Park.
It has also delivered extensive transport, retail and logistics infrastructure, from national roads to data centres and large distribution facilities.
This track record of handling complex, multidisciplinary builds is a key reason the company has been brought on board for the airport project.
The site chosen for the new international airport has its own long history.
Built in 1943 by the South African Air Force, the Fisantekraal Airfield later became a base for general aviation before being privatised in 1993.
Private investors bought the airfield in 2020, and it is now owned and operated by RSA Aero.
Beginning of a critical phase
After years of planning and feasibility work, it is set to be transformed into the Cape Winelands Airport, a development that could reshape air travel in the province.
Cape Winelands Airport managing director Deon Cloete said appointing WBHO marks the beginning of a critical phase.
“With the contractor now formally on board, the project advances into a crucial new phase – detailed technical development and planning,” he said.
According to Cloete, the involvement of WBHO will allow the project team to begin designing the engineering frameworks and specific technical components required before construction can begin.
This work will also help refine the expected timelines and more accurately determine the project’s overall cost profile.
WBHO director Russell Adams described the appointment as an important milestone.
“WBHO is honoured to have achieved this significant milestone with the Cape Winelands team,” he said.
“This partnership will enable the acceleration of the technical design processes and subsequent construction completion of the airport project.”
Adams added that the company is particularly energised by the opportunity to work on a large greenfield airport development.
“Successful completion will showcase the talent and competence of South Africa’s local development, investment, design and construction capacity in delivering significant economic infrastructure.”
Cloete echoed this confidence and said that with WBHO’s established experience on major infrastructure builds, the new airport is well-positioned for “excellence in execution.
The main runway will be extended and realigned to 3,500 metres to accommodate larger aircraft, and a new terminal is designed to handle 5.2 million passengers per year.
By 2050, projections show the facility processing about 2 million international and 3 million domestic passengers annually.
If realised, this would increase the total number of travellers moving through the broader Cape region from 10 million to around 20 million a year.
The R8 billion development recently received environmental approval from the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning.
This clearance allows the developers to begin preparing final plans, site designs and implementation measures ahead of construction.
Work on the airport is expected to start next year, with the opening planned for 2028.
Cape Winelands Airport
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