Rand Airport

 ( Official ) 

Imperial Airways received a £400000 () subsidy from both the South African and UK governments over five years. In November 1929, the Germiston Town Council bought a further of land for £14000, after permission was given by the Mining Commissioner, as the land was owned by the Simmer and Jack mine with the understanding that the land could be reacquired as a mining area. In order to proceed with the development, the Johannesburg and Germiston Town Councils formed a joint committee on 14 November 1930 and £85000 () was set aside for infrastructure. This would consist of a large and small hangar, administrative buildings, a workshop, floodlights and cottages.

The airport was officially opened on 21 December 1931 by the Governor-General Earl of Clarendon and owned jointly by the Germiston and Johannesburg Town Councils. In 1932, Captain Roy Makepeace became its manager. It became the headquarters of South African Airways (SAA) when the airline's head office was moved from Durban to Rand Airport on 1 July 1935. By 1938, the development costs had reached £200000 () and losses of £20000 (), a cost the Germiston Town Council could no longer afford and so sold its share to the Johannesburg City Council for £106,498, with of land not used resold to the former and land provided for a future highway to connect to the Heidelberg road. The final transfer took place in 1944.

In early 1939, the Union Defence Force took control of Rand Airport and by May 1940, all commercial flights ended. The training schools based there trained pilots for the war effort and the facilities were extended with fifteen additional hangars built. By 1944, a limited number of internal commercial flights resumed from the airport.

The ownership of the airport originally consisted of 23 private shareholders and there has been very little change. Most of the re-sales have been taken up by existing owners under new company names so there has been a small increase to the current 25 owners, plus the Mayondi BEE consortium and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council.

South African Airways donated a Boeing 747-200 and a Boeing 747SP to the South African Airways Museum Society which are on display at the airport. The museum also owns a Boeing 737-200, two DC-4s, a DC-3, Vickers Viking, Lockheed Lodestar, Lockheed L1649 Starliner, DH Dove and numerous other exhibits. The airport also hosts an annual air show.

The airport recently saw extensive industrial development, including new business parks and modern industrial units. These facilities cater to logistics, manufacturing, and other commercial activities, contributing to the region's economic growth. The strategic location and upgraded infrastructure make it a prime site for industrial expansion.

• On 6 October 1970, at about 7:10 am, Douglas DC-3 registration ZS-DKR en route for Orapa, Botswana crashed as it attempted to return to Rand Airport after the left engine failed just after take-off. There were two crew and ten passengers aboard. The Captain and two passengers subsequently died of injuries. The aircraft was completely burnt-out after impact.The Star, newspapers dated 6 October 1970, 11 January 1971 and 30 March 1971Rand Daily Mail newspaper, dated 7 October 1970
• On 2 August 1995, an Antonov An-2 on a cargo flight from Rand airport to Jamba, Angola, crashed shortly after takeoff killing all three persons on board. The accident was attributed to the cargo which was not properly secured and shifted during the initial climb out, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable.
• On 6 December 1999, a Piper PA-31-350 ZS-OJY crashed shortly after takeoff after suffering an engine failure. All ten people on board were killed.
• On 30 August 2022, a SAPS PC-6 Turbo Porter crashed after takeoff. Reports indicate that five people on board were killed, with one of the pilots in critical condition.

• South African Airways Museum Society
• Webcam looking to the west on the airport
• Webcam looking to the east on the airport