Constitutional Court rules Cape Town government perpetuates spatial apartheid, orders housing action

This judgment, delivered on July 2, follows a decade-long legal battle initiated by activists and human rights lawyers. The court emphasized that the distribution of resources must actively dismantle historical inequalities, specifically requiring the provision of affordable housing in areas like the Cape Town CBD and the historically white suburb of Sea Point. The case originated from the 2016 sale of the Tafelberg Remedial School site in Sea Point, which activists argued should have been used for affordable housing for workers commuting from the Cape Flats.

The ruling overturns previous appeals and mandates that both the provincial government and the City of Cape Town report within three months on their housing pipelines and budgets, addressing their failure to implement social housing programs in well-located areas.