Latest news with #Cape Town
Zawya
18 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa: Tourists visiting Cape Town support over 106,000 jobs, with DMOs playing a critical role
Tourists are not only enjoying Cape Town's world-famous views and dynamic culture scene, but they are also actively helping keep the city working. Cape Town Tourism's latest Economic Value of Tourism report reveals that in 2024, domestic and international visitors directly supported over 106,000 jobs, accounting for 6.9% of total employment in the city. A total of 2.4 million overnight tourists arrived in the Mother City in 2024, injecting R24.5bn into the local economy through direct tourism spending and generating a noticeable economic ripple effect across industries such as transport, accommodation, food, culture, and attractions. 'The standout figure: One job is created or sustained for every 10 tourists. That makes every booking a significant contribution to employment in Cape Town,' says Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town. 'Every tourist who arrives in our beautiful city, walks our streets, dines at our restaurants, and books a bed contributes directly to someone's livelihood. In Cape Town, tourism is more than just a holiday. It's jobs for local guides, chefs, drivers, street artists, concierges, and so many more. It's opportunity, growth, and stability. Every tourist helps keep someone employed, and in a country where every job matters, that kind of impact is huge.' Crucially, this success depends on the work of destination marketing organisations like Cape Town Tourism. By promoting the city globally, attracting high-value visitors, and working closely with industry partners, DMOs ensure that tourism growth translates directly into jobs, business growth, and sustainable economic impact. International tourists on the rise The report also highlights a 6% year-on-year growth in international arrivals and a 5% increase in bed nights sold, underscoring Cape Town's continued appeal as a top global destination. While international arrivals in 2024 were still below pre-pandemic levels, at 68% of 2019 volumes compared to a national average of 87%, the growth trajectory remains positive. Recovery is well underway, and signs for the second half of 2025 are even more encouraging. ForwardKeys' latest forecasts predict a 4.6% increase in international arrivals at Cape Town International Airport from July to December 2025. The United Kingdom, Germany, and the USA remain the top three source markets, with UK arrivals expected to grow by a notable 12.1% in the coming months. 'Tourism is one of Cape Town's most dynamic job creators,' says James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth. 'That's why investing in air access to boost connectivity, running conversion-driven campaigns that secure forward bookings, and working closely with industry partners are so critical. "As we celebrate Tourism Month in September, the City will take the lead in launching a new tourism development framework, which I will publish next month. This strategy will focus on growing both volumes and value – attracting more arrivals while ensuring greater benefits for businesses and spinoffs in communities, ultimately creating more jobs for Capetonians. DMOs like Cape Town Tourism are central to this effort, helping to ensure that the benefits of tourism reach every community.' Cape Town Tourism, in partnership with the City and private-sector stakeholders, remains committed to attracting visitors whose spending makes a real impact. Every sunset peninsula tour, every museum visit, and every hotel booking is not just a memory; it's a job supported, a business strengthened, and a future built.
Zawya
18 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa: City of Cape Town clarifies plans for Three Anchor Bay site
The City of Cape Town has dismissed claims that a prime 4.5ha site in Three Anchor Bay will be used for an elevated train terminus, calling the reports "misinformation". 'The City is aware that some members of the public and residents have been misinformed into believing that the redevelopment project includes plans for a sky train. This is not the case," said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas. 'The City is not planning on building a sky train as part of this development." Quintas said the City has already invested in a road-based public transport system servicing the CBD and Atlantic seaboard in the form of the MyCiTi bus service, and that it is focused on investments that will improve existing services as this is more practical and cost-effective. 'Strengthening and enhancing the MyCiTi bus service remains a priority with investment in areas of highest demand, such as the metro-south east, where we are currently expanding the footprint to link commuters from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha with Wynberg and Claremont.' The clarification follows in the wake of the City of Cape Town's statutory Public Participation Process (PPP) for the proposed disposal of Erf 2187, Three Anchor Bay Road, Green Point, as described in its press release. In this context, the term 'disposal' is a legal/municipal designation indicating that the City is considering selling, leasing, or otherwise transferring ownership or control of Erf 2187. Mixed-use potential Source: Infinity Environmental Valued at R680m by the City's internal valuers in 2024, Erf 2187 extends from Three Anchor Bay Road in the West to the Fan Walk tree line in the east and includes the Colin Eglin Library and the Sea Point Civic Hall. Located near the Sea Point Promenade, Green Point Urban Park, DHL Stadium and the V&A Waterfront, the site is ideally positioned for a high-density, mixed-use redevelopment. The City of Cape Town's Economic Growth Directorate said in a statement, 'The intention [of the public participation process] is to test the market for a high-density mixed-use development, including a proportion of market-delivered affordable residential opportunities as part of the residential unit mix. Provision for a rail terminus is not being considered in the planning of the site.' The Directorate went on to outline that the site falls within the Urban Inner Core of the Municipal Spatial Development Framework (MSDF), while the Table Bay District Spatial Development Framework (2023) earmarks the site as a new development area. In a statement to BizCommunity, the City said, 'This highlights the potential for high-density residential development, including affordable residential infill, linked to the site's favourable public-transport accessibility and land-use integration opportunities along Green Point Main Road." Prime redevelopment site But concerns have arisen over whether the private sector will guarantee affordable housing development on the erf once the land is sold. Independent urban policy researcher, Nick Budlender recently questioned whether the City was 'paying lip service to affordable housing as a way of forcing through a development that is unlikely to include any genuinely affordable homes'. The use of public land to build affordable housing in well-located areas is one of the simplest and most powerful ways of addressing Cape Town's housing and segregation crisis, Budlender said. Budlender added that - in the case of Erf2187 - he would be disappointed to see 'another piece of public land with such transformative potential being lost to the private market'. When BizCommunity questioned the City in writing about the type of affordable housing being proposed for the land, the City of Cape Town's Economic Growth Directorate responded: 'The Table Bay District Spatial Development Framework (2023) has identified the site as a new development area for potential high-density residential development, and suggests further investigation related to the high volume of affordable residential infill. 'In this regard, only high-density residential typologies, such as residential flats or apartments, are being considered.' It added, 'The draft development concept will be assessed by a Financial Feasibility Study to determine a reasonable proportion of affordable residential units that resonate with the market, while advancing the City's socioeconomic objectives. Affordable housing is contextualised relative to the property dynamics and needs of the receiving environment.' Integrated transport access Once the 'project receives in-principle approval to dispose of the site' as noted in its statement, the City plans to sell the land through a competitive bidding process to the open market. 'By unlocking this strategic site, we aim to create a vibrant, inclusive, and economically productive precinct that will generate new investment, support job creation, and expand the City's rates base,' Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth said. 'Importantly, this project is not only about building infrastructure, but also about shaping a sustainable future where business and public amenities come together to strengthen social and economic integration. It represents a key step toward sustainable urban growth, smarter land use, and the responsible management of City-owned assets to the benefit of current and future generations.' The City went on to note, 'The Three Anchor Bay Development Project will be fully integrated into Cape Town's existing public transport network. The site is adjacent to the MyCiTi Atlantic Corridor, which already provides high-frequency, reliable services linking Camps Bay, Clifton, Sea Point, Green Point, and the CBD.' Final comment opportunity The statutory 30-day public comment period, which has been running from Friday, 25 July 2025, ends on Monday, 25 August. The City says, 'There is still time for the public to have their say in relation to the proposed sale of Erf 2187, Green Point, in terms of the Municipal Asset Transfer Regulations, Regulation 6. 'Submissions focused on issues such as land use, affordable housing, traffic, engineering services, heritage, and urban design will be most useful in shaping the next phase of planning.'
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
What South Africa can learn from failed rent control policies worldwide?
Soaring monthly rentals in the Western Cape have made housing unaffordable for many tenants, forcing them to move elsewhere. This is according to nearly 80% of rental agents in PayProp's 2025 State of the Rental Industry report. It's not uncommon for a modest apartment in Green Point to be advertised at a monthly rental of R22,000, while a small unit in Durbanville might go for R16,000 despite needing repairs and having an 'ugly kitchen' with broken appliances. Many people have drawn attention to the price-quality mismatch, noting that similar or better homes in Joburg cost far less. 'Even more concerning, the vast majority of South African households (80%) are priced out of the formal housing market because their monthly income is under R26,000,' says Renier Kriek, managing director of innovative home finance business Sentinel Homes. 'We have an undersupply of about three million formal housing units.' Living in Cape Town is particularly pricey, with average property sale prices increasing from R1.6m in 2020 to R2.1m in 2025. In contrast, Johannesburg's prices have remained relatively flat over this period, staying on average between R1m and R1.5m, according to property analytics firm Lightstone. Soaring rent 'Obviously the higher capital values mean that people who buy for investment require a higher nominal return, which means the rents go up,' says Kriek. This has been happening in the Western Cape, where the PayProp Rental Index shows 9.6% year-on-year rental growth and average monthly rents reaching R11,285 in Q1/2025 – significantly higher than Gauteng (R9,201), KwaZulu-Natal (R9,170) and the Eastern Cape (R7,330). Rent control Calls for rent control in Cape Town are getting louder. The idea is to cap rent increases to make housing more affordable. However, this may win populist votes and provide short-term relief for tenants, but won't fix the housing shortfall, says Kriek, pointing to unsuccessful rent control in cities like New York, Berlin, Stockholm or Tokyo. While rent control impacts the entire property market, it ironically hits hardest in the low-income band – those who should benefit the most. 'Rent control leads to underinvestment and poorly maintained units as landlords have limited incentives to maintain or expand their rental stocks because their profits are capped,' says Kriek. Another problem is misallocation, where some tenants will stay in rent-controlled units even when these no longer match their needs. By blocking the units for people who genuinely need them, they create an inefficient housing distribution that worsens the undersupply further. 'Rent control is the most efficient technique currently known to destroy a city - short of bombing," says Kriek. Making small units profitable There's ample private-sector money available to invest in rental housing, says Kriek but government needs to change the market design that makes this segment unprofitable. Small units are more expensive per square metre to build – and sell – than larger ones. In addition, he says, tenants in affordable units (sub-R7,000 rent/month) are more frequently in rent arrears than higher-income tenants as they feel economic pressure harder. The number of 'squatting' tenants (who haven't paid rent for three consecutive months and are still occupying the property in the fourth month) is also increasing: the TPN Squat Index rose from 3.48% in Q4/2023 to 3.71% in Q2/2024. Legal protection of landlords The balance of power is unduly tipped against landlords and needs to be levelled, says Kriek. 'The law that governs evictions, the Prevention of Illegal Eviction and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act (PAI), isn't fit for purpose. "It was designed to evict land squatters but due to poor drafting it also applies to the eviction of tenants who don't pay their rent or refuse to move out when legally required. This makes the process unnecessarily expensive, time-consuming and open to exploitation. 'Historically, eviction is a sensitive topic in SA,' concludes Kriek. 'But if we don't allow strict enforcement of payment obligations, then landlords won't invest in rental housing, which is the easiest and the quickest way, using the least amount of government resources, to fix our housing undersupply.' All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Mail & Guardian
3 days ago
- Health
- Mail & Guardian
Pharmaceuticals found in Hout Bay mussels
Hout Bay's marine environment is threatened by pharmaceutical and personal care product compounds that have accumulated in marine life, even kilometres from pollution sources, University of Cape Town researchers have found. Hout Bay's marine environment is threatened by The authors said the findings of their Environments, raise urgent questions about sewage management, environmental monitoring and public health in one of Cape Town's popular coastal areas. The research team, led by These compounds — residues from common medications and products such as shampoo, soap, toothpaste and moisturisers — enter the marine environment through human excretion, wastewater discharge and improper disposal. The presence of these compounds in mussels is a 'red flag', Ojemaye warned. 'Mussels are sentinel organisms; they filter the water and accumulate pollutants, which means they are telling us a story about the health of the entire marine ecosystem.' The pollution from Hout Bay's sewage discharge extends far beyond the immediate outfall area, contradicting previous assumptions that contaminants disperse quickly and harmlessly. This is not a case of 'dilution is the solution to pollution', Ojemaye said. 'These contaminants don't just disappear. They spread, settle, and accumulate in marine life, creating an extensive and ongoing impact zone.' Sewage contamination The researchers used chemical analyses to quantify the presence of pollutants such as personal care product compounds in sentinel marine organisms such as mussels, as well as microbial indicators of faecal contamination in river water and seawater, for estimating the extent of affected zones in the coastal environment of Hout Bay. They also investigated the pharmaceuticals found in wastewater effluent samples in Hout Bay, examining whether these substances were also detectable in marine biota, specifically mussels. The findings revealed significant levels of sewage-related pollutants in the sampled environments. 'These results highlight persistent PPCP contamination in marine organisms, with increasing concentrations observed over time, suggesting a rise in population and pharmaceutical use,' the study said. Microbial analysis also found 'These findings underscore the significant impact of untreated sewage on the environment,' the study noted. It concluded that sewage treatment is insufficient to mitigate pollution, urging the implementation of more effective wastewater management practices and long-term monitoring of pharmaceutical levels in marine biota to protect both the environment and public health. In addition, municipal decisions regarding sewage disposal options in Hout Bay have played a significant role in the pollution by sewage of the coastal area. The lack of control of serviced land invasion has exacerbated things. 'The city has not provided Imizamo Yethu with adequate sanitation infrastructure for decades, leading to exceptionally high faecal content in the Disa River,' said The authors fully support the argument by lawyers involved in Significant source of pollution They say the sewage outlet services about half of Hout Bay's population, making it a significant source of chemical and microbial contamination. The Hout Bay River also carries pollutants into the bay, but the design and operation of the sewage outlet itself contribute heavily to the problem. The situation poses both ecological and potential human health risks if contaminated mussels and other shellfish are eaten. That the bay lies in a marine protected area makes the findings particularly concerning for conservation efforts. Beyond environmental damage, the research points to wider public health implications, including the possible spread of antimicrobial resistance through contaminated marine environments. 'We urgently need to understand whether faecal coliforms in Hout Bay are carrying antimicrobial resistance genes,' Ojemaye said. 'If so, this could have consequences for human health that extend far beyond our coastlines.' The study calls for a multi-pronged response, including investment in upgraded wastewater treatment, reduction of harmful chemical usage and stronger regulations on pollutant discharge. This is especially critical in light of issues such as the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw increased chemical use, and the ongoing energy crisis, which affects wastewater management. Outdated, harmful Globally, marine outlets are increasingly recognised as outdated and environmentally harmful, the scientists said, and replacing them with land-based treatment facilities should be a priority. Such systems can remove pollutants more effectively as well as produce renewable energy and recover valuable resources from wastewater. 'Hout Bay's pollution problem is not unique, but it is urgent,' Green said. 'This is an opportunity for innovation and collaboration. With the right technologies and political will, we can turn wastewater from a hazard into a resource.' The research team emphasised that although further studies are needed to map the pollution zone's full extent and understand the risks of consuming contaminated seafood, mitigation measures should begin without delay. 'This is not just about science; it's about protecting livelihoods, ecosystems and the health of our communities. If we wait until the damage is irreversible, it will be too late.' The study is a wake-up call for Cape Town, Green said, urging policymakers and the public to face the uncomfortable truth that the city's marine environment is absorbing the cost of inadequate wastewater management. 'Without urgent intervention, the toxic tide will keep rising.' City of Cape Town's response The difficulty of the removal of PPCPs from wastewater is not unique to Hout Bay or to Cape Town, said 'Advanced treatment technologies such as ozonation, reverse osmosis and membrane filtration can be used to remove some CECs [contaminants of emerging concern], but implementation of these technologies can be expensive and energy intensive and is not always a practical option at scale. Even our most sophisticated newly upgraded wastewater treatment works cannot treat wastewater in a manner that removes all traces of pharmaceuticals and other contaminants of emerging concern.' The city recently undertook a feasibility study to explore the options for replacing its marine sewage pipelines with new wastewater treatment works, but no decision has yet been made on when this will happen. 'We must acknowledge though that Cape Town has many underserviced areas requiring the provision and upgrading of basic services, and must weigh up the prioritisation of limited funding in this context. Marine outfalls In 2024, the city commissioned independent experts for its The findings are presented quarterly to a publicly accessible permit advisory forum established by the city in April last year, Andrews said. The first annual report on these studies is expected towards the end of the year. 'This programme builds on decades of monitoring by the city of the environmental impacts of the outfalls, all of which is comprehensively reported on in documentation available on the city's 'Respectfully, the authors of the study appear to be doing no more than speculating when they state that the marine outfall does not achieve the dilution and dispersal of contaminants of emerging concern. Their work did not include an analysis of PPCPs in effluent, river water or in coastal waters and analysed only mussels found in situ in the coastal environment.' Andrews said the UCT study 'cannot draw conclusions' about the source of the contaminants or the extent of the impact zone of the sewage outlet, nor the effectiveness of its design, based on the methods and results presented. 'What we do know is that the impacts of wastewater discharge, whether it occurs intentionally or due to spills, are far more acute in freshwater systems with very small volumes, than they are in the highly dynamic offshore environment when dispersion and dilution take place after discharge through an outfall diffuser,' he said. 'We have commissioned extensive research that we hope will provide greater insight into the questions raised here about the long-term impacts of marine wastewater disposal.' The city will 'act on reliable data and findings', he said. 'To date, the extensive scientific work undertaken has not demonstrated a significant negative impact. The 2024 marine outfalls environmental monitoring programme is very comprehensive and incorporates the assessment of hundreds of parameters, including several new components not previously forming part of routine assessments.' Very poor state The city acknowledges that the Hout Bay River is in a very poor state because of pollution from a variety of sources, Andrews said. It receives flows from a catchment of about 37 square kilometres, which includes natural upper slopes in the Table Mountain National Park, formal residential areas and smallholdings on both sides of the Hout Bay River, formal housing with backyard dwellers in Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg areas, and informal dwellings in Imizamo Yethu, which includes a fairly large informal settlement with limited services. The potential health risks associated with swimming in the sea near river mouths or stormwater outflows, even in summer and especially after rainfall, are signposted on the Hout Bay Beach and communicated to the public and beach users. The city concurs with the study's authors that further research into the accumulation of pharmaceutical compounds by bivalves in a marine protected area is needed, and note its environmental monitoring programme for the sewage outlets includes such monitoring. 'Unfortunately the authors of the study made no effort to assess the risks posed by the pharmaceutical concentrations they determined, but simply stated that exposure would be 'harmful'. To determine the actual risk to consumers it is necessary to establish the amount of seafood that would have to be consumed to cause an exposure in excess of safe levels, Andrews said. 'As this was not undertaken and only the absolute concentrations are presented, it is simply not responsible or scientifically sound to conclude that this may result in harm.' 'It is also of some concern that the authors do not appear to have accounted for the age or size of the mussels sampled in their study — the rates of accumulation of these compounds may vary with age.' The city does not dispute the presence of CECs in mussels but 'requests that, and based on the sweeping claims and conclusions made — especially those made in relation to public health — the authors take more responsibility in their application and improvement of scientific rigour in terms of their analysis and interpretation of the results of the study'. The MMC for water and sanitation, These include unplanned densification in informal areas, leading to a significant increase in wastewater volumes beyond the original sewer system's capacity; illegal informal dwelling connections to the sewer network, which compromise the integrity of the infrastructure and stormwater-to-sewer cross-connections, implemented historically to reduce river pollution, which now also contribute to system overloading. The disposal of building rubble and general waste that cause blockages and spills, as well as structures built over sewers make routine maintenance difficult. The water and sanitation directorate has a regional team that focuses on sewer reticulation problems in Hout Bay, Badroodien said. This team has implemented a range of short, medium and long-term interventions. 'As part of a broader R1.25 billion investment in sanitation infrastructure this financial year, R355 million has been allocated for sewer pipe replacements and R241 million for pump station upgrades across Cape Town,' he said. 'Through this combined infrastructure and behaviour-change approach, the city aims to significantly reduce sewer spills and associated pollution into the Hout Bay River and adjacent marine environment.'
CTV News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
‘A memoir of love and fate:' Maritime couple details their epic love story
A Maritime couple puts their love story on paper in their book The Illogical Adventure. Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual For James MacDuff and Mirriam Mweemba, the life they live now, on the shores of Cole Harbour, N.S., is more than they could have ever imagined. Their unique love story began in 2018 on a warm night in Cape town, South Africa. 'On the last night that I was there, I was in a bar and someone else was there as well,' MacDuff says glaring at his wife. 'It didn't click in my mind that (he was) someone I would date or let alone be my husband in the future,' says Mweemba. But that quickly changed, as the pair would reunite around the world. 'I went to Zambia to get my visa, and I traveled to Italy. We kept in touch, and at some point, we managed to meet up in Venice,' says Mweemba. Mweemba, who studies massage therapy is originally from Zambia, and MacDuff is a lawyer and life-long Maritimer. Despite the distance and cultural differences, the couple kept their spark alive, meeting up from coast to coast, including in Barcelona, Switzerland, Mombasa, as well as in Zambia. James MacDuff and Mirriam Mweemba A photo of James MacDuff and Mirriam Mweemba. (Courtesy: James MacDuff) But things took an uncertain turn in 2020, during the global pandemic. 'I was lockdown in Moncton living with my parents, and Miriam was over in Zambia on lockdown, and we were separated. We were supposed to have met in March of 2020 in Johannesburg, and we were frantically trying to figure out if we would ever meet again,' says MacDuff. 'What would the world look like? What were the restrictions, what are the risks?' But he says they managed to meet in Tanzania, one of the only places without restrictions at the time. There, the two tied the knot. James MacDuff and Mirriam Mweemba A photo of James MacDuff and Mirriam Mweemba. (Courtesy: James MacDuff) Nowadays, their hands are full with their two toddlers, Anderson and Jack. But parents and star-crossed lovers aren't the only titles they hold. Their recently completed book titled 'The Illogical Adventure' officially made them authors. 'The book tells the story of us trying to meet while we're on different continents and over different times and then managing through the Covid pandemic and everything. It's a memoir of love and fate,' says MacDuff. A project that much like their love story, withstood its own risks, challenges and delays. But they both agree it was worth it in the end. 'We faced a lot of challenges. We went through a lot. And it's a beautiful story, you know, with James growing up here (and) ...my background is totally different,' says Mweemba. 'I looked at everything, the whole story, what we went through. And I thought it would be nice to share something as beautiful as our story.' 'As someone who was kind of a lifelong bachelor, to be now in this big family relationship, it's something I never really dreamed of,' says MacDuff. Through it all, they've learned an important lesson about love and life. 'Take a chance. If you think something feels right…especially when it comes to love, but also career or otherwise… nothing is impossible,' says MacDuff. James MacDuff and Mirriam Mweemba A photo of James MacDuff and Mirriam Mweemba. (Courtesy: James MacDuff) For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
