Cape Town claims that it is a world class & inclusive city but government has not provided a single affordable home in the inner city and surrounds since the end of Apartheid. In fact it has gone backwards with people being evicted from existing public and privately owned affordable stock. This is happening despite the fact that local, provincial and national government own a considerable amount of land in the area. Currently, state owned land either lies vacant and underutilized or it is sold off to the private sector for exclusive developments.

The Tafelberg Remedial School site is a property of 1.7 hectares, roughly the size of two rugby fields – at 355 Main Road, Sea Point. It belongs to the Western Cape Provincial Government. The land and buildings are empty and underutilised. Province declared the site “surplus” to government needs, despite a request from Western Cape Department of Human Settlements that it be reserved for affordable housing. In late 2015, the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works, sold Tafelberg to a private buyer for R135 million. 

An aerial view of the Tafelberg site in the heart of Sea Point, Cape Town.

After supporters of the Reclaim the City campaign took the Province to court to #StopTheSale in early 2016, the Western Cape Provincial Government agreed to temporarily stop the sale of the Tafelberg site in Sea Point. The Province re-issued the notice of disposal and called for comments from the public.

The 21 day commentary period closed on 9 June 2016. At the end, supporters submitted 937 individual submissions and over 4000 signed a petition calling for the sale to be stopped and the site used for social housing. This website includes a selection of letters from across sectors and social spheres who stood in solidarity with the campaign.

Having reviewed the enormous number of submissions, the Provincial Cabinet decided to pass a resolution calling for a financial feasibility study to be conducted to see if Social Housing could be built on the Tafelberg site.

Altogether there were 37 submissions on Province’s feasibility study. Ndifuna Ukwazi and Reclaim The City supporters also made submissions. Read them here.

Cabinet will decide on 22 March 2017