Covid grounds R7bn Cape Town airport expansion

THE R7 billion expansion plan for the Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) has been abandoned owing to a significant drop in traffic volumes.

It is forecast that it would take years for these numbers to climb again as the tourism and travelling sectors recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The CTIA confirmed that the expansion project, which would have included the realigning of its runway and the expansion of the domestic arrival and international terminal, came to a screeching halt as a result of dwindling traffic numbers.

CTIA general manager Mark Maclean said the project was planned for 2020, with completion during 2023.

“The following major projects were planned for 2020 in response to the projected growth in air traffic and passengers at Cape Town International Airport: new realigned runway, International Terminal 2, new domestic arrivals and new apron parking bays.

“Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent restrictions imposed on domestic and international travellers, our passenger numbers declined significantly over the last two years.

“These projects were all motivated by traffic growth and we therefore subsequently placed these projects on hold in response to the drop in traffic volumes.

“Based on current projections, it may take a few years for international travel to recover to the volumes recorded in 2019.”

Construction for the project would have started in early 2020, and with the realignment of the runway, the CTIA would have been able to handle larger aircraft and more landing and departing aircraft.

For the new domestic arrivals area, the baggage claim area was expected to be increased, and there would have been improvement to the broader arrivals area.

Maclean said they cancelled the plans and would monitor growth in aircraft movements and traffic volumes, which could take up to five years.

While some enablement work had started on some of the projects, this work has been scaled back and these projects have also been cancelled.

Three informal settlements – Malawi Camp, Freedom Camp and Blikkiesdorp – were to have been impacted by the intended expansion and runway realignment.

Blikkiesdorp, meant to be an interim measure but has existed for nearly 11 years, is one of the oldest temporary relocation areas in the city and exists on future land that the CTIA would require.

Blikkiesdorp committee chairperson Jerome Daniels said while they had not yet been formally informed of the cancellation, they hoped housing would now take priority.

“As it stands, current housing projects under way would not have been affected by the expansion, but if it had to change due to the expansion project, we would have been greatly disappointed if it then had to go ahead.

“There is a desperate housing situation and we hope that this forms part of the future plans,” said Daniels.

“These projects were all motivated by traffic growth and we therefore subsequently placed these projects on hold in response to the drop in traffic volumes

MARK MACLEAN CTIA general manager