Western Cape Air Cargo Conference celebrates growth in air cargo trade

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Hosted at Hazendal Wine Estate, the event brought together industry leaders, airlines, cargo operators, and e-commerce businesses to discuss the sector’s progress and the steps needed to strengthen trade.

Wesgro CEO, Wrenelle Stander, highlighted that the 25% growth in the Western Cape’s air trade volumes in 2024, with 75,000 tonnes of goods transported by air, is a record to date.

This increase is attributed to the Western Cape’s expanding international connectivity, with Cape Town International Airport now hosting 217 international flights per week this season.

"We need to focus on what we can control — attracting investment, leveraging technology, and strengthening global partnerships," Stander stated.

Stander also provided an outlook for the region’s export strategy, which includes connecting local exporters to new markets. The 2024 surge in air passengers at Cape Town International, marking a 10% increase compared to 2023, reflects the airport’s growing role as a gateway for economic activity.

“This growth in connectivity means increased belly-freight cargo capacity and more opportunities to move goods by air,” she explained.

In her address, keynote speaker Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, South Africa CEO of Naspers, emphasised the growing role of e-commerce in driving air cargo expansion.

“E-commerce growth in South Africa presents huge opportunities for air cargo,” she noted. “We must connect digital and physical supply chains to meet consumer expectations for fast and reliable delivery.”

The Western Cape Air Cargo Conference also provided an overview of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which provides a competitive advantage for South African products in the US, in particular playing a critical role in supporting the growth of Western Cape agricultural exports to the US and contributing significantly to jobs in the province.

Wesgro stressed that in times of uncertainty it is important to remain focused not only on maintaining and growing market share in the US, but also on addressing supply side competitiveness challenges and supporting diversified market access through trade agreements and addressing trade barriers.

Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth and Tourism, Alderman James Vos, pointed to the region’s 57% increase in air cargo growth since 2018 as a clear sign of the city’s growing prominence as a key trade hub.

He highlighted the need for ongoing collaboration to enhance logistics and streamline the movement of goods.

“We need to secure more flight routes and improve connectivity to drive economic growth,” Vos said, stressing that air cargo is vital for ensuring the timely delivery of time sensitive agricultural exports and maintaining the region’s competitiveness in global trade.

Dr. Ivan Meyer, Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development, and Tourism, spoke about the broader economic impact of air cargo and the need for modern infrastructure to support trade.

“If we want to attract investment, we need the right infrastructure to support air cargo growth,” he said. He noted that the province has studied the growth potential of different towns and regions, using this insight to drive targeted investment. “Expanding our air cargo capacity strengthens our logistics network, opens new trade opportunities, and helps position the Western Cape as a competitive player in the global market,” he concluded.