Name change for prominent South African international airport planned

Johannesburg Executive Mayor Dada Morero revealed that there are plans to change the name of Lanseria International Airport.

Morero shared information about the planned name change during his 2025 State of the City address debate on 8 May 2025.

He informed the Johannesburg council that change is occurring in Lanseria, an area in the Northwest of the city.

“We are informed that the airport management is contemplating renaming the facility to more closely reflect and celebrate its connection to our city,” he said.

According to Morero, the planned name change is part of the broader vision for the Lanseria International Airport’s growth and identity.

“As the city will support this initiative, which will strengthen the airport brand and foster a stronger sense of belonging,” he said.

Lanseria International Airport is South Africa’s only privately-owned and operated international airport which is known for its efficiency and reliability.

Founded in 1972 as a grass strip airfield by Pretoria pilots Fanie Haacke and Abe Sher, the airport has expanded to handle some of the world’s largest jets.

Haacke and Sher planned to build the busiest airport in the country. Armed with R2.7 million, they set about creating an alternative international airport for Johannesburg.

With backing from the Minister of Planning at the time, the two pilots overcame protests from farmers who did not want a busy airport bordering their quiet farmland.

However, South Africa’s economic hub desperately needed an alternative airport to ease congestion at OR Tambo International, formerly Jan Smuts International.

The Roodepoort and Krugersdorp Municipalities bought the airport to cement the government’s backing to create an alternative transport hub in Johannesburg.

In 1974, the airport opened its doors to privately operated aircraft and steadily grew in popularity throughout the 1980s.

Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990 would bring Lanseria into the global spotlight, with the international icon landing at Lanseria on his return to Johannesburg.

Lanseria regularly hosts airshows featuring some of the world’s latest commercial and military aircraft, showcasing its facilities and safety credentials.

Lanseria airport changes hands

In 1991, the airport was sold to a consortium of private investors, ensuring Lanseria would be independently owned and operated.

The investors announced a R500 million revamp to ensure the airport could handle larger narrow-bodied jets such as the Boeing 757.

By the mid-2000s, the airport had a new central terminal building, and all of its runways and taxiways had been comprehensively upgraded.

In 2012, it was sold to a consortium consisting of infrastructure developer Harith, the women’s empowerment company Nozala, and the Government Employee Pension Fund (GEPF).

These investors continued the airport’s expansion into what it is today, adding a completely new runway and air traffic control tower.

A new series of upgrades is underway after being unveiled in July 2024 to expand Lanseria’s capacity and attract more regional carriers, further easing the burden on OR Tambo.

The developments include the establishment of new maintenance, repair, and overhaul facilities, new fixed-base operator facilities, a fuel depot, and taxiway upgrades.

Crucially, a new fuel depot would further insulate Lanseria from the challenges experienced by OR Tambo and Cape Town International.

Lanseria International Airport CEO Rampa Rammopo said the new facilities and fuel depot would position the airport as a one-stop shop for all aircraft needs.

These improvements will address many of the current limitations that may be deterring airlines from operating at the airport. 

Lanseria is also getting new owners, with private equity firm Harith agreeing to buy out its partners in the Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund.

The deal provides an exit opportunity for investors in the first Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund.

These investors include the continent’s largest pension fund, South Africa’s Government Employees Pension Fund, along with Absa, Old Mutual, and others.