Southern Suburbs, Cape Town

History

The Southern Suburbs were some of the earliest parts of Cape Town to develop – most especially the areas around the Constantia Winelands.

During the Apartheid era, the Southern Suburbs were predominantly "whites only" residential areas.

In mid-2025, the Southern Suburbs had some of Cape Town's highest property prices, with some large detached homes selling for as much as around R80 million. The region is among the most popular in South Africa for real estate, both with local and international buyers.

Geography

Cape Town's Southern Suburbs lie to the southeast of the slopes of Table Mountain within rich valleys and vast plains reaching from just south of the Table Bay industrial neighborhoods in the north to the False Bay coastal suburbs and the Cape Peninsula cliffs to the south, and are crossed north-south by the M3 and M5 freeways.

Demographics

The majority of the Southern Suburbs' population are White, English-speaking individuals, with large minority communities of Black, Indian, and Coloured people residing in some suburbs. Many non-White residents speak English as a first language. The area has a population of 205,000 people.

Owing to the large British descendant population, the area has a bigger pro-Commonwealth and pro-monarchy (in reference to the British monarch's official title as Head of the Commonwealth) sentiment than the rest of the Cape.

Because of this, many institutions retained their royal patronage (such as the Royal Cape Golf Club and the Royal Cape Yacht Club), and there are many institutions related to British heritage in the region (including the Cape Town 1820 Settlers Association, Cape Town Scottish Highlander Pipe Band and Cape Town Scottish Caledonian Pipe Band). The area is also home to the Cecil Rhodes Memorial and is home to many British pubs and tea rooms.

Due to the region being predominantly inhabited by White, English-speaking South Africans, it is also home a very large concentration of Anglicans, with many Anglican churches and Anglican private schools (most notably the St. George's Grammar School and Bishops Diocesan College).

Language

The Southern Suburbs is a predominantly English-speaking region of Cape Town, whereas, in contrast, the Northern Suburbs is a predominantly Afrikaans-speaking region, and the two regions have their own rather distinct cultures.

From a Southern Suburbs perspective, the Northern Suburbs lie behind what is locally known as the 'Boerewors Curtain', which is used, often jokingly, by some Capetonians to draw an informal crossover point between the English-speaking Southern Suburbs and the Afrikaans-speaking Northern Suburbs, and their respective cultures.

Housing

Housing in the Southern Suburbs is some of the most sought after in Cape Town, with the region offering peaceful neighborhoods with tree-lined streets, well-maintained infrastructure, an abundance of green spaces, and easy access to amenities.

Southern Suburbs housing comprises mostly detached homes, townhouses, and low-rise condos. Plots and homes are generally larger on average than in other parts of the city.

Housing supply in the region is limited, and price increases outpace many other parts of not only Cape Town, but South Africa as a whole. The region contains some of South Africa's most affluent neighborhoods. As of late 2025, the average price of a 2-bedroom home in the Southern Suburbs was R2.35 million, and the average for a 3-bedroom property was R3.3 million, both well above the national average.

Amenities

The Southern Suburbs has many scenic public spaces, including nature trails, hiking spots, wine farms, forests, and parks. These range from public amenities such as Kirstenbosch Garden, Newlands Forest, and Silvermine Nature Reserve, to private establishments such as Groot Constantia, Constantia Uitsig, Buitenverwagting, Steenberg Estate, and Westlake Golf Club.

Kirstenbosch Garden

The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is one of the oldest botanical gardens in South Africa and is situated along the eastern slopes of Table Mountain in the suburb of Bishopscourt. There are many unique flower species in this garden that are not found anywhere else in the world.

**Rhodes Memorial **

The Rhodes Memorial is a popular tourist attraction on the slopes of Devil's Peak in the suburb of Rondebosch. This memorial commemorates a former British South African politician, Cecil John Rhodes. This memorial is nearby to the University of Cape Town.

**Newlands Forest **

Newlands Forest is a popular forest along the slopes of Table Mountain at Newlands. It includes many hiking trails and braai area. Ruins of the old "Paradise" estate where Lady Anne Barnard lived for a portion of her stay in Cape Town lay deep within this forest.

Golf

There are multiple golf courses in the Southern Suburbs, including King David Mowbray Golf Club, Rondebosch Golf Course, Royal Cape Golf Club, Westlake Golf Club, and Steenberg Golf Club.

Arderne Gardens

Arderne Gardens is a public park and arboretum tucked away from the busy Main Road in Claremont. It was established in 1845 and is a popular venue for wedding photographs. The focus of the Arderne Gardens is the cultivation of exotic species.

Commerce

The suburb of Claremont is an important commercial hub in the Southern Suburbs and is the location of numerous offices.

Malls situated in the Southern Suburbs include Blue Route Mall and Cavendish Square. Shopping centers in the Southern Suburb include Constantia Emporium, Constantia Village, Steenberg Village, Meadowridge Shopping Center, 3Arts Village, and Palmyra Junction.

Education

Tertiary education

The Southern Suburbs is home to the University of Cape Town, which is situated beneath the mountain, on the border of Newlands and Rondebosch. Other tertiary education institutions in the area include Varsity College, AFDA, Cape Audio College, The South African School of Applied Psychology, and Damelin Mowbray.

Schools

The Southern Suburbs offers many good public and private primary and high schools, including some of the top-ranked schools in South Africa. Most of these schools are found in the suburbs of Rondebosch, Newlands, Claremont, and Wynberg. Some schools have catchment areas, requiring accepted applicants to reside within a certain radius of the school.

List of high schools:

•Rustenburg Girls’ High School •Rondebosch Boys High School •Westerford High School •Groote Schuur High School •South African College High Schools •Bishops Diocesan College •San Souci Girls’ High School •Livingstone High School •Windsor High School •Herschel Girls Secondary School for girls •Wynberg Boys’ High School •Wynberg Girls’ High School

List of primary schools:

•Rustenberg Girls’ Junior School •Oakhurst Girls’ Primary School •Groote Schuur Primary School •Mickelfield School for Girls •Golden Grove Primary School •South African College Junior School •Grove Primary School •Greenfield Girls’ Primary School •Herschel Girls Preparatory School •Wynberg Boys’ Junior School •Wynberg Girls’ Junior School •Constantia Primary School

Transport

One of the most well-known roads in the Southern Suburbs is the historic Main Road, which starts in the City Bowl and goes through Observatory, Mowbray, Rondebosch, Newlands, Claremont, Kenilworth, Wynberg, Plumstead, Diep River, Bergvliet, Tokai, Retreat, Muizenberg, Lakeside, and then onwards to the False Bay region.

The bulk of the Southern Suburbs are connected to Cape Town CBD in the north and Muizenberg in the south by the M3 and M5 freeways. These roads also provide connections to the N1, for travel towards Paarl, and the N2 for travel towards Strand.

As per metro designations, the Southern Suburbs use the older "CA" and newer "CAA" type vehicle license plates.

References

References

1. "Cape Town Southern Suburbs". Private Property.
2. "Houses for Sale in Multiple Areas". Property24.
3. Admin. (15 August 2024). "Mid-year Cape Town property market overview". Everything Property.
4. "SOUTHERN SUBURBS, Cape Town".
5. "Welcome to Seeff Southern Suburbs". Seeff.
6. (22 April 2015). "CT Southern Suburbs property price growth". Sotheby's.
7. (16 September 2025). "Cape Town Southern Suburbs drive SA property boom as demand outpaces supply". property24.
8. "Southern Suburbs Property Trends and Statistics". property24.
9. (15 November 2019). "This is what Cape Town’s new number plates will look like". BusinessTech.