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Here's Why Rent Is So Expensive In Cape Town... And Who's To Blame
Rent in Cape Town just keeps going up and so do Airbnbs and luxury developments. So who's to blame, and what can actually be done?
23
min
November 4, 2026
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In this episode we dig into Cape Town's housing crisis: why prices are climbing faster than in any other metro, what Airbnb, semigration, foreign buyers and digital nomads have to do with it, and whether rent control would help or backfire.

We hear from the City's side with deputy mayor Eddie Andrews, test it against urbanist Edgar Pieterse, go to church with the Rent Control Group (yes, Zackie Achmat is there, and yes, he's someone's landlord), and ask why Cape Town still has no inclusionary housing policy when Joburg and the DA-run Stellenbosch both have one.