Mitchells Plain land release proposal: Creating greater access to quality education and unlocking public value

The City of Cape Town is inviting public comment on a proposal to sell 5,6 hectares of City-owned land at 80 Seafarer Drive, Strandfontein, Mitchells Plain, to Christel House South Africa for the expansion of its zero-fees private school. The proposal represents an opportunity to put a significant municipal asset to productive use while supporting greater access to quality education for children and young people in an underserved community. Read more below:

Christel House South Africa is an established educational institution that serves learners from vulnerable and underserved communities. Its model extends beyond the classroom, providing no-fee, CAPS-aligned education together with healthcare, nutrition and transport support, psychosocial services, family engagement, and structured post-matric education and career support.

For the City, these are important considerations when assessing whether municipal land can be unlocked in a way that delivers meaningful and lasting public value.

‘When we look at City-owned land, we have to ask a very simple question: how can this asset best serve the people of Cape Town?

‘In this case, we have an established educational institution proposing to invest in the expansion of a zero-fees school that supports vulnerable learners not only academically, but also through healthcare, nutrition, transport, family support and pathways into further education and employment.

‘That is a significant potential benefit for the Mitchells Plain community, and it is one of the key reasons why the City is progressing with the assessment of this proposal,’ said Alderman James Vos, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth.

A productive use of municipal land

The proposed transaction would enable the development of a substantial educational facility while also ensuring that the property is actively used and maintained over the long term.

The potential benefits considered by the City include:

• expanding access to quality educational facilities in an underserved community
• providing a fully subsidised educational offering to vulnerable learners and families
• improving educational, career and employment prospects for young people
• supporting broader socio-economic development and poverty alleviation
• creating employment during the construction and operational phases; and
• attracting ongoing investment into the development, maintenance and use of the property.

‘The City is not in the business of holding onto land simply for the sake of owning it. Municipal assets must be managed responsibly and, where appropriate, unlocked to create tangible value for residents.

‘This proposal is particularly compelling because the potential outcome is not simply a new development on City land. It is an investment in young people, in families and in the future of an entire community.

‘We have seen first-hand that when we make the right decisions about our assets, we can create opportunities that have a lasting impact on communities. That is the type of thinking we are applying here,’ said Alderman Vos.

A transparent process before a final decision

The proposed sale remains subject to the City’s prescribed property disposal process, including the required internal assessments, legal and technical considerations, governance requirements and public participation.

The City is therefore making the proposal available for public comment before any final decision is taken.

‘We are at an important point in the process. We have assessed the proposal and identified a strong potential public benefit, but the final decision has not yet been made.

‘Public participation is an important part of ensuring that the process is transparent and that all relevant information is properly considered before a final decision is taken.

‘Our responsibility is to weigh the public interest, community benefit, financial and technical considerations, regulatory requirements and the information received through the public participation process.

‘But it is equally important that we explain clearly why we are considering this transaction. This is about taking a City asset and potentially turning it into an opportunity for quality education, employment and long-term community development.

‘That is the kind of value we want to unlock from municipal property, not simply for the sake of disposing of land, but to ensure that our assets contribute meaningfully to the people and communities of Cape Town,’ said Alderman Vos.

The public is invited to submit comments on the proposal by Monday, 31 August 2026.

Submissions will be considered as part of the City’s assessment process before a final decision is made.

Submit comments:

• Online: the City’s Have Your Say page (under the immovable property notices)
• Email: aa**************@**********ov.za
• In writing:

For attention: Aa’ishah Abrahams
Property Transactions
13th Floor, Civic Centre
12 Hertzog Boulevard
Cape Town
8001