Thusong Centres are one-stop government service hubs. The Atlantis centre sits on a portion of Erf 8813 Wesfleur and houses services such as Home Affairs, SASSA (the social grants agency), social development and law enforcement. Residents feared that if the centre closed or was sold, they would lose access to these services. Home Affairs' lease reportedly lapsed at the end of 2025, and SASSA's lease is due to expire in 2028. In early 2026, the City said it intended to keep the facility available to government and community institutions rather than sell it for commercial gain. Residents remained sceptical and petitioned to keep it open.
The City and the Western Cape Government later reached an in-principle agreement. Under it, the City would donate the property, and the provincial government would take over ownership, management and operation. The Department of Social Development plans to run it as a service delivery hub, and SASSA is expected to stay. Council approval followed. Next steps include finalising and signing the Agreement of Donation, subject to the province completing its own internal approvals. Because the property is municipal, a donation to another sphere of government normally needs formal Council approval. The terms of the final agreement will determine what public-access safeguards apply.
The centre matters because of Atlantis's history. The apartheid government established Atlantis in the 1970s for Cape Town's Coloured population under the Group Areas Act. The town is far from the city centre. Local services mean residents avoid long, costly trips to reach essential government services.
