Cape social housing ring-a-roses: still no homes

OVER the past 15 years, at least 20 sites in the Cape Town inner city have been identified, proposed, planned, announced, postponed, cancelled and re-announced, and re-announced, again for affordable and social housing.

- BRETT HERRON

We've had a provincial Central City Regeneration Programme, and a municipal Inner City Affordable Housing project, both of which identified suitable sites. The number of homes actually built remains zero.

Last week, the Mayor of Cape Town was at it again, re-announcing the release of the “Fruit & Veg” site on Roeland Street for mixed-use development, including social housing. The “Fruit & Veg” site was first announced for release in the 2017 Inner City Affordable Housing Prospectus and released for bidding in September 2017. The project was cancelled in 2019. In February 2022, the City held a public ceremony, announcing it was releasing the site for social and affordable housing, and was “hitting the ground running”. Last week, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis announced it again.

Just weeks earlier, the Western Cape Premier re-announced the site next to the Artscape Theatre, first unveiled in 2010 as part of the Central City Regeneration Programme. In 2016, it was announced, again, and in 2019, the province announced that cabinet had resolved to release the land for social and affordable housing. In July 2025, it was re-announced with a name change: Founder's Garden.

Another 2010 site, the Dorp Street Development, has been rebranded “Leeuloop” and trotted out once more.