The item concerns the City of Cape Town's plan to transfer City-owned land at 21 La Belle Road, Stikland Industria, through a competitive process. The aim is a permanent long-distance bus terminus with complementary mixed-use development. On 20 August 2026, Council granted in principle approval for the transfer of a portion of the Remainder of Erf 13601, Stikland, Bellville. The City's property page describes the site as roughly 9.73 hectares. It lies along the Strand/Voortrekker Road corridor, a designated public transport route linked to the Bellville CBD public transport interchange. The City says the project is meant to make better use of a municipal asset and to stimulate economic activity in long-distance passenger transport.
In November 2025 the City opened a public comment process. At that stage it described a 2.2-hectare portion of the erf as a strategic site for transport infrastructure and economic development. If the sale proceeds, the private sector would build and run the terminus. The project would include passenger facilities, bus holding bays, on-site amenities and retail and commercial components. Local residents raised concerns about housing needs during that process. The site area differs between the 2025 notice and the current City page. Citizens may want to check which footprint the approval covers.
This matters because the City is disposing of public land for private development. Sales like this normally involve public participation, and the City's competitive process will decide who develops the site. The project also affects wider questions about how long-distance bus services are organised in the metro. It also raises questions about the livelihoods of people who currently work informally on or near the land. The City's project page lists a development manager and a public contact email, [email protected].
