High Court dismisses attempts to block Cape Town land release
The City of Cape Town has welcomed the High Court’s dismissal of attempts to block the release of 50 City-owned properties for private sector investment, including the iconic Good Hope Centre. The City’s initiative aims to unlock economic and social value for Capetonians across the metro, with the properties to be released via a competitive public auction due to take place on Thursday, 26 February 2026.
‘We welcome the High Court’s dismissal of several applications which aimed to block land release that will unlock economic and social value for Capetonians.
‘We’ve said from the start that our land release process is lawful and transparent, and we are glad that the court has seen through these meritless applications. A total of four have now either been struck off the roll or dismissed with costs.
‘The demands from those opposing the auction included baseless claims that unspecified land belongs to specific groupings. One group even asked that, in the event the land is released, a portion of the proceeds be paid into their bank account.
‘We firmly believe that the City’s land portfolio – rather than just sit idle – must drive economic growth across Cape Town. These properties are not being lost to Capetonians – instead, they will now realise their full economic and social potential through private investment to the benefit of residents.
‘That includes the iconic Good Hope Centre, which has a very exciting future ahead for event hosting and mixed-use development, which limited state funding could never achieve,’ said Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth.
All properties identified for auction have been thoroughly assessed and confirmed as not required for municipal purposes.
The revenue generated from the sale or lease of these properties will also be reinvested directly into service delivery across Cape Town to the benefit of residents.
The City has further supplied the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) with information on its ground-breaking Mayoral Priority Programme to accelerate affordable housing land release, which has released more land in this term of office than in the decade prior, with a total of 12 000 affordable units in the pipeline.
The City assured the SAHRC that all legal and constitutional steps have been followed – including extensive public participation – and that there are no valid legal, constitutional or human rights-related reasons to delay this round of land release.
Good Hope Centre set for major upgrade
This latest round of land release is headlined by the iconic Good Hope Centre precinct, which is set to be revitalised by private sector investment while protecting heritage aspects. A wide range of further opportunities for sale and lease are available across multiple investment categories:
Residential sites
Kraaifontein, Westridge, Atlantis, Durbanville, Goodwood, Eerste River, Coniston Park, Bridgetown, Athlone, Maitland and Vredehoek
Commercial sites
Foreshore, City Centre, Mitchells Plain, Montague Gardens, Parow, Blue Downs, Century City, Bellville, Belhar and Goodwood
Industrial sites
Atlantis, Epping, Khayelitsha and Kuils River
In total, about 282 000m² of land will be released, creating diverse entry points for developers with varying investment profiles, from mixed‑use precincts to industrial expansion and urban infill housing.
‘Releasing the Good Hope Centre for redevelopment is a strategic move aimed at unlocking its immense economic potential, revitalising the broader precinct, and leveraging private-sector investment to boost job creation and economic growth to benefit Cape Town residents. Heritage elements, including the dome, are preserved through the conditions of sale, while the surrounding land can be transformed into multiple uses, unlocking significant economic and spatial value for the inner city.
‘Many more sterling opportunities for private-sector investment will also be available, with each of the 50 sites carefully packaged to attract capable investors ready to deliver tangible benefits for communities and the broader economy.
‘This auction sets the standard for how we will put our properties to productive, purposeful use. To ensure full transparency, bidders will have the opportunity to compete via a public auction. This major land release initiative complements the broader pipeline of land release successfully delivered over the past several years,’ said Alderman Vos.
About the auction
City appointed service provider, Claremart Group, will oversee the process in full compliance with all legislative and governance requirements.
To register for the auction or for more details, visit:
www.Claremart.com
Email coctproperties@claremart.com
Call Rob Stefanutto on 083 556 6861 or 021 425 8822
