Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis joined Protea Village families today to mark the start of construction of their new homes in Bishopscourt, following the City’s completion of its R83m bulk services infrastructure project. The City has further released R320m of municipal land towards the project. 

‘It was special to join Protea village families today to mark the start of construction of their 86 restitution homes in Bishopscourt. The City is proud to enable this project with the release of R320m in municipal land, alongside the completion of R83m in bulk infrastructure. 

‘I cannot wait to see the families return to their land, move into their beautiful new homes, and begin a new chapter in this place they have long called home. 

‘This project is a unique example nationally of what meaningful land restitution looks like. Not only does it restore dignity and redress apartheid’s spatial legacy, but it also presents a scalable restitution model that could help shape future restitution programmes across South Africa,’ said Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. 

Caption 1: Work under way.

The Protea Village Restitution Project addresses displacement under the apartheid regime’s Group Areas Act, occurring between 1959 and 1970. 

Onsite construction commenced in October 2024 to deliver 86 high-quality homes expected to be completed in the latter part of 2027. The project employs an innovative cross-subsidisation model, selling open-market plots to fund restitution homes and generate annuity income for the Protea Village Communal Property Association (CPA). 

Protea Village CPA Chairperson Andre Maxwell said the progress was particularly significant for the families who are returning to their ancestral land after decades.

‘At our sod-turning ceremony last year, we celebrated the start of construction. Today, we can see just how far we've come. For a community that has waited decades for restitution, this progress means an enormous amount. We are now another step closer to rebuilding Protea Village and finally returning home.

Caption 2: Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, Cape Town Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews and some of the families of the Protea Village Community Property Association among others. 

‘We have come a long way, but our work is not finished. Our focus now is on securing the remaining building approvals and getting construction underway so that the 86 families can finally return home,’ said Maxwell.

Councillor Carl Pophaim, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, said the shared vision and unity amongst claimants has been critical to the progress of this project to return them to Bishopscourt.  

‘This initiative restores land, dignity, and economic opportunity, integrating displaced families into this affluent suburb.

‘A further benefit is the preservation of four hectares of public greenbelt along the Liesbeek River. The City will manage this municipal land to enhance environmental and community benefits,’ said Councillor Pophaim.

Background

• Following a successful land claim in 1995, Erven 212 and 242 Bishopscourt were awarded to the Protea Village Communal Property Association (CPA) in 2006 by the City of Cape Town, the National Department of Land Reform and Rural Development, the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, with support from the City of Cape Town’s Human Settlements via a formal Settlement Agreement).
• Transfer of the awarded land to the Protea Village CPA took place on 15 June 2021 following a protracted land-use rights process. 
• The project is driven by the Protea Village CPA, with the City providing enablement, bulk infrastructure support, and regulatory support. Bethel Partners manages the development of the project with an expert team of industry professionals. 

City contribution

• R83m for bulk/ link infrastructure (civils and electrical)
• Assistance to navigate planning approval processes
• Post-development support
• Total Municipal Land Value: approximately R320m (Erf 212: 50 serviced sites for market cross-subsidisation of the 86 families)