Mayor launches Strandfontein Pavilion redevelopment, investing R300m
24 March 2026
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis launched the City’s flagship redevelopment of Strandfontein Pavillion on the False Bay coast, a R300m project. This is one of Cape Town’s most iconic and historic recreational sites, built around the Southern Hemisphere’s largest tidal pool. The Mayor was joined by Councillor Francine Higham, Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health. Read more below:
'It's a joy to break ground today on this flagship project. We promised we would rebuild the Strandfontein Pavilion, and now this is being fulfilled. It is an emotional day seeing this come to fruition. This project was among my first priorities on taking office, inspired by visiting Mitchells Plain residents who reminisced about their childhood spent enjoying the Strandfontein Pavilion. Today, after much planning and design, we have begun the work and soon will see this wonderful place restored, rebuilt, and improved so that many more Capetonians can enjoy it into the future.
'Not only is the project steaming ahead, we are in fact ahead of schedule, which is why we recently brought funds forward in the Adjustment Budget to start the construction we are launching today,' said Mayor Hill-Lewis.
The Strandfontein Pavilion Refurbishment project is a multi-year capital injection aimed at transforming this day resort, originally constructed in the 1980s around the largest tidal pool in the southern hemisphere.
The City's plan for the upgrade project includes:- Total refurbishment and upgrading of the precinct
- New commercial and restaurant spaces
- A brand new NSRI base and boat launch ramp
- Indoor event and concert space for weddings, birthdays and conferences
- Outdoor concert space in an open air amphitheater
- Transformation of the pavilion into a hive of activity for use throughout the year
- Improved access to the beach for the disabled
- Better safety and security
'The development framework for Strandfontein Pavilion has already been shaped by meaningful public participation, including a Cultural Mapping that captured the individual stories and memories from the community. We are excited to now realise a shared vision for this much-loved coastal recreational site.
'The Strandfontein Pavilion upgrade is not just a refurbishment - it is a catalytic investment in a key coastal node, one that honours the memories of the past creating the foundation for many more to come. By aligning this project with broader infrastructure upgrades across Mitchells Plain, we are enhancing public facilities, improving safety, and creating a more vibrant, inclusive and multi-use space for residents and visitors alike,' said Councillor Higham.
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
