Wingfield Aerodrome Wingfield Aerodrome was first the Cape Town Municipal Aerodrome , then Air Force Station Wingfield under the SAAF , before being used as a Fleet Air Arm base by the Royal Navy . After World War II , the aerodrome reverted to being the municipal airport for a while . The history of Wingfield is synonymous with the history of flight in South Africa , including pioneering attempts at commercial aviation . Early landing grounds in the Cape . In the early days of aviation , all that was required for take off and landing was a level piece of land relatively free of obstructions . Where a flight commenced and ended depended on the weather , the reason for the flight , the mechanical state of the aircraft and even the whim of the pilot . Navigation was done by following a road or railway line and referring to prominent landmarks such as Table Mountain . There were no laws prohibiting low flying or landing within city limits . Places in the vicinity of Cape Town known to be used as airfields included Kenilworth race course , Green Point Common and Green Point cycle track , Sea Point , Robben Island , Maitland Common , Rosebank Showgrounds and Mr Young ' s farm near Wynberg as well as local beaches . It would be several years before the commercial prospects of aviation would be grasped and an aviation infrastructure put in place . World War II . September 1939 saw the formation of 15 Squadron SAAF at Germiston with three former SAA Junkers Ju 86 airliners used for maritime patrol s . After moving to Wingfield the squadron was absorbed as A Flight of 32 Squadron SAAF . 804 Naval Air Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm reformed in September 1944 at Wingfield aerodrome 24 Hellcat IIs and in January 1945 , they embarked on HMS " Ameer " to provide cover during the landings on Ramree Island , and subsequently missions over Sumatra and Malaya . In 1939 , Alex Henshaw , Chief Test Pilot for Britain ' s Spitfire fighter planes , flying a modified Percival Mew Gull registration number G - AEXF , set a number of records for solo flights between Gravesend , Kent ( now RAF Gravesend ) and Wingfield and back , which still stands today nearly seventy years later . The present . The SA Navy is to relocate its sprawling technical training school , SAS Wingfield , along with some depots from a run - down World War II - era site near Goodwood to a purpose built new facility at Simon ’ s Town . The move – for which the Navy has already received an initial R40 million – follows a comprehensive multiyear investigation into the rationalisation of the Navy ’ s training institutions . The SAS Wingfield Naval Unit continues to exercise its right to the Freedom of Goodwood annually " to enter and march in the town with colours flying , drums beating and bayonets fixed " . Municipal Aerodrome . Cape Town International Airport is now the primary airport serving the city of Cape Town , and is the second busiest airport in South Africa and third busiest in Africa . The airport was opened in 1954 to replace Cape Town ' s previous airport at Wingfield . Goodwood Correctional Centre . On 17 October 1997 one of the most modern prisons in South Africa , the Goodwood Correctional Centre , with a capacity of 1692 beds was officially opened . It was built on Wingfield land to the north of the N1 highway . It is aligned to the concept of rehabilitation . Acacia Park . In 1947 a township called Sassar was erected on a portion of Wingfield Aerodrome for the accommodation of officials of the South African Railways and Harbours . From 1948 it also provided accommodation for civil servants and members of Parliament who annually migrate to Cape Town for the parliamentary session . On 1 December 1959 , after a competition for a new name , the name was changed to Acacia Park on account of the many Port Jackson willow trees growing there . A primary school was built and provision made for sport and other recreational facilities . At that stage children in the primary school were taught in accordance with the Transvaal syllabus and under the control of the Transvaal Education Department . Acacia Park is currently one of three Parliamentary villages in Cape Town .