Not long ago, several residents from the Goodwood DCI Social Housing Complex raised concerns about the high cost of living at the development.
Their frustration prompted an intervention that led to a breakthrough.
On 1 August this year, the City of Cape Town confirmed that DCI tenants had been incorrectly charged business and commercial tariffs instead of residential ones.
Just two weeks later, on 15 August, the City announced a 75,6% reduction in fixed charges for tenants. This provided a major relief for many struggling households.
Global recognition
The Goodwood DCI project has also drawn positive attention beyond the local community.
It recently received international recognition. It earned a Silver Award in the “Social Project of the Year” category at the 2025 International Project Management Association (IPMA) Global Project Excellence Awards.
This global accolade underscores the project’s significance in promoting affordable, inclusive, and sustainable housing in Cape Town.
According to Carl Pophaim, the City’s Mayco member for human settlements, the matter highlights the importance of understanding how social housing tariffs are determined.
Social Housing Institution
“The Goodwood Station social housing project is managed by an accredited Social Housing Institution (SHI). The landlord is the SHI, and both social housing and SHIs are regulated by the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA).
“Water and electricity charges in social housing depend on the municipality and the SHI involved, with charges typically based on a lease agreement and meter readings,” Pophaim explained.
Goodwood DCI Social Housing Complex
“In Cape Town, residents pay according to the City’s tariff structure, which may include reduced basic allocations for indigents. Others use prepaid meters. To understand specific costs, residents should consult their lease agreement. They should also contact the SHI and review municipal tariff policies.
“The Goodwood Station social housing project consists of 1 055 units,” said Pophaim. “The City provided grant funding, land for parking, and various rates discounts and incentives to ensure the viability of this project.”
He added that the initiative is the result of multi-level collaboration involving all spheres of government. This includes the City of Cape Town, National and Provincial Departments of Human Settlements, SHRA, DCI Community Housing Services, Prasa, and the Development Bank of South Africa Infrastructure Fund.
A model for future projects
Pophaim noted that lessons from the Goodwood development are being applied to future social housing projects across the metro.
“The City is making significant progress in its Accelerated Land Release for Affordable Housing programme,” he said. “This includes a pipeline of 12 000 well-located residential units across Cape Town. It also includes inner-city areas such as Woodstock, Salt River, and Maitland.”
Additional efforts include legislative reforms to speed up building approvals. They also include support for micro-developers through a new township development fund and pre-approved building plan templates to reduce costs.
‘Transforming the metro’
“The City continues to leverage well-located land across the metro for residential housing initiatives,” Pophaim added. “All of these projects — whether rental or mixed-use — are positioned close to economic and transport hubs. We are truly transforming the metro, one housing opportunity at a time.”
Pophaim concluded by expressing pride in the project’s recognition and impact:
“The City is proud and honoured to have been recognised for excellence in project management in the small and medium-sized Social/Regional Development category. This award reflects our commitment to delivering well-managed and impactful projects that benefit our residents.”
