Vaal’s R22.6bn airport and logistics hub plan advances

Plans to turn parts of 13 farms south of Johannesburg into industrial development land for a R22.6bn international airport are moving forward, with developers now seeking environmental authorisation for the first phase of the proposed Vaal Aerotropolis.

The project, led by Vaal Aerozone, would sit in the Emfuleni local municipality, about 9km west of the N1 and the industrial city of Vanderbijlpark, Malcolm Libera reports Business Tech.

It forms a central part of the proposed Vaal special economic zone, which is intended to revive industrial activity and attract investment to the Vaal Triangle.

The development is planned in three phases over 60 years. It would include an international airport, cargo terminal, airport city, solar farm, trade zone and a large agricultural zone with climate-controlled greenhouses, hydroponic farming, tissue culture facilities and infrastructure for exporting perishables. The first phase would also include a hotel with more than 90 rooms, premium offices and medical consulting facilities. Construction is planned for 2029 to 2031, with the airport due to open in 2032.

The developers project 12,000 jobs during construction and 6,000 permanent jobs once the airport is running. Declan Thompson reports for Daily Investor that it would be the only airport in Gauteng designed from the outset with integrated air cargo services as a priority, and that Citibank South Africa pledged R1.38bn towards the first phase in 2023.

The land will first have to be rezoned from agricultural to industrial use, a process that developers described as lengthy in an earlier interview with Moneyweb. Opponents have raised concerns about the loss of farmland: the website antiaero.org has said the site could take up more than 12,000 hectares.

The project’s employment and economic benefits will depend on securing approvals, financing and sufficient passenger and freight demand, African Insider noted.

Sources: BusinessTech, 27 October; Daily Investor; African Insider; Moneyweb; antiaero.org