Bo-Kaap has always been more than a postcard view. It is a living community shaped by faith, family ties, and deep historical roots.
Now the people who have anchored the area for generations say those foundations are cracking as short-term rentals surge and property prices soar.
Many feel the neighbourhood is shifting faster than they can hold on.
Bo-Kaap: A neighbourhood caught between history and tourism
Residents and the Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association (BKCRA) say the boom in Airbnb-style lettings is turning a once tight-knit community into a revolving door for tourists.
According to CapeTownETC, family homes that stood for decades are being converted into holiday apartments, and the group fears the neighbourhood’s identity is being traded for profit.
This comes as GroundUp recently reported that roughly 70 percent of inner-city residential properties are already used for short-term letting. Bo-Kaap sits just beyond that zone, but residents say the ripple effects are hitting their streets hard.
BKCRA chairperson Sheikh Dawood Terblanche said that the property market has shifted beyond the reach of long-time locals. He says elderly residents in particular cannot compete with investors seeking high returns from tourism.
Heritage strained by daily disruptions
Beyond affordability, many say the neighbourhood is losing its rhythm.
The traditional call to prayer, Kaapse Klopse celebrations, and the informal social life that defines Bo-Kaap now often collide with visitors unfamiliar with local customs.
Community worker Masturah Adams, who runs a weekly soup kitchen, says the housing crisis is severe. Some residents have waited more than thirty years for an affordable home, with “no movement” on suitable land for lower-cost housing.
She also notes rising complaints about late-night parties and disruptive behaviour from short-term guests.
Calls for city intervention
The BKCRA says that the City of Cape Town should enforce zoning rules and introduce tighter controls: a formal registration system, a cap on short-term rentals, and a requirement that owners live on site for most of the year.
City spokesperson Luthando Tyhlibongo says investigations into land-use infringements are ongoing and that a registration system for short-term rentals is being developed.
He added that underutilised land in the area is being considered for future affordable housing projects.
Hotel plan adds further tension
Amid the housing pressure, the City also recently approved a hotel development at 150 Buitengracht Street, on the edge of Bo-Kaap and near the historic Auwal Masjid.
The proposal originally drew strong objections, prompting a six-month consultation process with the South African Heritage Resources Agency.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says the building was redesigned after extensive engagement. A nine-storey concept has now been cut to six, with a three-storey frontage facing Buitengracht Street.
Still, for many residents already feeling pushed out, the hotel approval lands at a sensitive moment. They fear that without firm regulation, the neighbourhood’s future will tilt further away from the people who built it.
Bo-Kaap now faces a defining question: can a place built on history survive the speed of modern tourism, or will its character be lost in the rush?
