[imagesource:here]

South African aviation fundis might recognise the above as an aerial shot of the airport formerly called Fisantekraal, situated 13 kilometres northeast of Durbanville, which is roughly half-way between the Cape Town CBD and Paarl.

It’s a popular spot for flight training in Cape Town, and the site of many a movie and advertising shoot.

It was built by the South African Air Force in 1943 to operate Lockheed Ventura bombers and initially featured four runways.

In the 1960s, it was handed over to the local municipality before it was sold to a private owner in the early 1990s.

Last year, it changed hands again.

According to BizNews, it was snapped up by billionaire Rob Hersov, who partnered up with Nick Ferguson to buy it. The plan is to convert it into what he’s calling  “the Lanseria Airport of Cape Town”.

It has been renamed the “Cape Winelands Airport” and after some development, is envisioned to compete with Cape Town International Airport in the same way that Lanseria competes with OR Tambo International in Gauteng.

Hersov is no stranger to the aviation industry, founding Marquis Jet Europe – which he later sold to Warren Buffett.

Image: Rob Hersov, EMBASSYDirect

‘Buffett called me in 2004 and said, ‘I’m buying your business’, said Hersov to Alec Hogg in an interview last year.

Per MyBroadband, the site is prime for development as it already manages several aircraft hangars for the storage and maintenance of private aircraft and helicopters, with plenty of room to expand.

If anyone is going to get this right it’s Hersov, who is going to go into this armed with some friends in incredibly high places, like media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

He’s currently focused on investments in South Africa and is chairman and CEO of Invest Africa.

I’ll leave you to hear it straight from the source.

Here’s Hersov talking about his plans on the BizNews Power Hour:

[sources:mybroadband&biznews]