The City of Tshwane is planning to change the name of the Wonderboom National Airport, located in northern Pretoria.
The city council said that it aims to recognise the original Ndebele landowners of the area where the airport is located.
According to the Tshwane MMC for economic development and spatial planning, Sarah Mabotsa, the proposal to rename the airport was first submitted back in April 2018. It was resubmitted in 2024.
Mabotsa said that the name change is being considered under the city’s Geographical Names Policy, which was approved in 2023.
The airport’s current name, Wonderboom, traces its roots to the historic fig tree located in the Wonderboom Nature Reserve, which is believed to be over 1,000 years old.
It was named by Voortrekker leader Hendrik Potgieter in 1836. The MMC said that the site became associated with the commemoration of the Day of the Vow under the tree’s shade.
The Day of the Vow is a religious holiday for Afrikaners, commemorating the period before the Battle of Blood River in 1838 when the Voortrekkers made a promise to God.
While the tree has been damaged by fire and disease, many of its branches have developed roots, creating new trunks and extending the canopy.
Mabotsa said that the proposal before the council seeks to honour the Ndebele nation as the original landowners of the area in which the airport is situated.
As per the application, the proposed names also sought to reflect the Ndebele historical and cultural significance.
She noted that the city’s Geographical Names Policy allows places to be renamed for purposes that include:
- Commemorating places, events and memories of cultural or historical significance
- Strengthening local heritage and promoting the character and identity of an area
- Honouring or commemorating noteworthy individuals associated with the city, province or country
The Tshwane council has approved the commencement of a public participation process to provide the city’s residents and stakeholders with an opportunity to share their input before a decision is made.
The MMC said that details of the public participation meetings will be communicated in due course.
Pushback on the name change
The Democratic Alliance (DA) said that it does not support the proposed renaming of Wonderboom Airport.
The DA’s Dana Wannenburg argued that the money spent on a costly renaming campaign would be put to better use repairing infrastructure, supporting economic growth, and improving service delivery.
“Wonderboom Airport is an important economic asset with the potential to contribute meaningfully to investment, tourism, aviation development, and job creation in Tshwane,” said Wannenburg.
“The discussion around the airport should therefore centre on sustainability, expansion, and economic opportunity.”
She said that the DA’s position is that municipalities should not operate airports where doing so places ongoing financial pressure on the city and ratepayers.
This is because airports require specialised operational expertise, long-term investment, and commercially driven management to remain competitive and viable.
The DA also raised the idea of a long-term public-private partnership (PPP) with a lease agreement for the airport.
Dana reasoned that the PPP would allow the private sector to invest in and maintain the airport, while the city retains ownership of the asset.
The following could be achieved through this arrangement:
- Improve and modernise airport infrastructure,
- Increase commercial and aviation activity,
- Ensure long-term operational sustainability and profitability,
- Create employment opportunities,
- Reduce financial risk and pressure on the municipality.
“Tshwane residents deserve a government focused on economic growth, infrastructure delivery, and creating jobs,” said Wannenburg.
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