Cape Town’s property market has been celebrating a price boom.
But the city’s pensioners are an unexpected casualty of these price rises.
However, in one suburb, it’s becoming more expensive and more dangerous.
Pensioners are being forced out of this Cape Town suburb
Mature residents who’ve spent decades in the city can’t afford to live comfortably.
It’s a tale as old as Cape Town’s frenzied property market: developers come in, drive up prices; lifelong residents are often forced to move out.
But Table View differs from other property hotspots in that crime is also increasing.
According to first-quarter statistics from the South African Police Service (SAPS), crime is up 5.7% compared to the same period last year.
Annually, crime is up 9.2%.
Theft and commercial crimes are the two most commonly reported crimes in the police precinct.
But drug-related crime makes up about 10% of all reported crime in the region.
The Table View police precinct includes Blouberg, Parklands, Sunningdale, Flamingo Vlei and surrounding areas.
And in each of these suburbs there’s been a tremendous increase in property values.
Across the precinct, the average property sale price is up 25%, crossing R2 million for the first time in the precinct’s history.
By the end of 2025, those over 65 made up a little less than one third of sellers and less than one fifth of owners.
They also made up the smallest share of buyers in the region.
Table View Pensioner Community
But the Table View community hasn’t abandoned its mature population.
Table Bay Mall is the only mall of its size in the city with a dedicated pensioners’ day. This takes place every Wednesday.
In nearby Sandown, for example, the local Spar has a pensioners’ day every Tuesday, where pensioners can get special discounts.
The community is rallying behind pensioners.
Facebook groups like the Living Legends Table View Seniors Club also host free and affordable events to keep the suburb’s seniors engaged.