In South Africa, urban planners play a key role in changing the country's spatial landscape. Their task is to eliminate historical inequalities, improve access to opportunities, and direct development in a way that benefits both people and the environment.
The Constitutional Court ruling regarding the Tafelberg site in Sea Point affects more than just one property. According to Finella Botha, an elite real estate consultant at Seeff Atlantic Seaboard, this decision could shape housing and development discussions in Cape Town for years to come.
Botha noted that real estate markets do not exist in isolation; decisions on planning, infrastructure, housing policy, and development all influence the long-term value of an area. She added that this ruling will likely affect discussions far beyond the Tafelberg site itself.
According to Cape Town real estate strategist Nathan Scott, the average property price in the Western Cape in the first quarter of 2026 was R3,357,917, which is 72% higher than the national average price of R1,951,230. He also reported that Gauteng now accounts for 50.8% of all national property transactions.
Scott specified that to qualify for a mortgage on a property valued at R2.5 million in the northern suburbs—such as a standard three-bedroom family home in Bellville, Durbanville, or the Winelands corridor—a household must have a net income of around R55,000 – R60,000 per month.
Urban planner Zinhle Nkongwane believes that urban planning goes beyond mere land-use regulation or designating building sites. In her view, it aims to create sustainable, economically active, inclusive, and resilient communities for future generations.
Nkongwane emphasized that every planning decision influences how people live, work, travel, and interact with their surroundings. She stated that the main task in evolving cities is to find a balance between growth, environmental sustainability, infrastructure, and the needs of local communities, as urban planning shapes the future built environment.
During a recent panel discussion at the Annual Conference of the South African Institute of Black Property Practitioners (SAIBPP), investment analyst Ayanda Shaba from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) highlighted the importance of market expansion through the revision of property registers. She believes that transformation ultimately means creating an industry where opportunities are sustainable.
Shaba concluded that participation opens doors, but ownership creates sustainability, wealth, and long-term integration. She noted that the industry's task for the next decade is to ensure that more South Africans not only participate in the real estate sector but also build, own, and develop within it.
In South Africa, urban planners play a key role in changing the spatial landscape, addressing historical inequality, improving access to opportunities, and guiding development to benefit both people and the environment.
Cape Town is witnessing active construction of exceptional homes in the high-end price segment, while insufficient housing is offered for the middle class. Julia Finnis-Bedford, founder of Amazing Spaces, noted that she develops luxury homes in Constantia, primarily targeting emigrants and foreign buyers, as this is where demand and market support exist. However, she admitted that this topic causes her discomfort, as she was once part of this sphere.
According to Amazing Spaces, the region is not building enough housing for people who live and work there permanently, especially for families without access to foreign currency or emigration budgets. Finnis-Bedford explains this due to the high cost of development: land, construction costs, and time are expensive. Delays in plan approval can make maintenance costs too high, forcing developers to focus on higher price segments where margins can compensate for such delays, often driven by economic viability rather than vision.
Amazing Spaces asserts that this cycle continues: developers build where financial indicators allow, leading to limited supply in the middle segment and rising prices. The company insists that a shift in approach is necessary. While investment and elite construction are important, faster and more efficient plan approval is also required to broaden construction. Finnis-Bedford emphasized that, as a global city, Cape Town must remain a city that works for its residents, and to achieve this, the construction process needs simplification at all levels, not just the highest.
Meanwhile, Finella Botes, a high-end real estate consultant at Seeff Atlantic Seaboard, pointed out that the Constitutional Court's decision regarding the Tafelberg site has broader implications than just one property. She stated that the court ruled the sale of the site in Sea Point illegal and ordered both the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government to report on how they intend to fulfill their constitutional obligations regarding affordable housing in the city center and surrounding areas. Botes believes that despite disagreements over the ruling, it is clear that well-located land has become one of Cape Town's most valuable and debated assets.
She added that this ruling will not change the luxury real estate market overnight, as the demand for quality housing in areas like Waterfront, Clifton, Bantry Bay, and Fresnaye remains exceptionally high. However, in her opinion, this decision will draw much more attention to how strategically located land will develop in the future. Botes notes that real estate markets do not exist in isolation; planning decisions, infrastructure, housing policy, and development influence long-term land value.
Previously, Zinhle Nkongwane, an urban planner, stressed that urban planning goes beyond zoning regulations or designating building sites. In her view, it is about creating inclusive, sustainable, economically viable, and resilient communities for future generations. Nkongwane reiterated that urban planners in South Africa play a significant role in transforming the spatial landscape by eliminating historical disparities, improving access to opportunities, and directing development in the interest of society and the environment.
She also noted that every urban planning decision affects how people live, work, travel, and interact with the environment. The task is to find a balance between growth, environmental sustainability, infrastructure, and community needs as cities evolve. Ayanda Xaba, an investment analyst at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), speaking at the SAIBPP conference, highlighted the importance of expanding markets through reviewing property registers. She believes that transformation should lead to the creation of an industry where opportunities are sustainable. Xaba stated that participation opens doors, but ownership creates sustainability, wealth, and long-term inclusivity, and the industry's task for the next decade is to ensure that more South Africans not only participate in the real estate sector but also build, own, and grow within it.
Nathan Scott, a Cape Town real estate strategist, reported last week that the average property price in the Western Cape in the first quarter of 2026 was R3,357,917, which is 72% higher than the national average of R1,951,230. He also noted that Gauteng now accounts for 50.8% of all national property transactions. The strategist added that to secure a mortgage for a R2.5 million property—a standard three-bedroom family home in Bellville, Durbanville, or the Wynelands corridor—a household would require a net income of approximately R55,000 to R60,000 per month.
