SUSTAINABILITY you don’ t know
WITH NEARLY 24 MILLION VISITORS EACH YEAR, CAPE TOWN’ S V & A WATERFRONT RANKS AMONG AFRICA’ S MOST VISITED DESTINATIONS. BUT HOW MUCH DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT WHAT THEY DO BESIDES GIVE VISITORS A GREAT TIME?
Most of us think of the Waterfront as a buzzing social hub of sea-view restaurants, designer shops and luxury hotels. But what lies beneath that gloss is a fully functioning precinct: a working harbour, creative studios, start-ups, residential spaces and largescale infrastructure initiatives. In many ways, it operates like a small city.
A NEIGHBOURHOOD RUNNING ON ITS OWN TERMS
Covering around 123 hectares, the precinct is home to over 800 tenants, more than 2 000 residents and tens of thousands of workers each day. The V & A has introduced its own sustainability programmes that stretch well beyond mere decoration. Water-saving fixtures, borehole and grey-water systems have helped cut consumption by over 60 %. Rather than relying entirely on municipal utilities, the precinct is building a desalination plant capable of producing around 3.3 megalitres of fresh water per day.
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT LOOKS AFTER ITSELF
Energy-efficiency, waste-management and green building are not just buzzwords here. Solar panels generate more than 1.6 million kWh of clean energy annually and several buildings bear green certifications. Waste is diverted and composted through an on-site centre: the precinct achieved around a 70 % waste-diversion rate in recent operations. These systems underline that the Waterfront isn’ t just a retail zone, it’ s a place invested in self-sufficiency.
THE WORKING HARBOUR IS JUST THAT This isn’ t just a showpiece or a tourist display. Real work still happens here. Fishing boats, tugboats, yachts and ships all use the same harbour. Its history as a working port still shapes how the Waterfront mixes business, culture and everyday life today.
A PLATFORM FOR CREATIVITY, ECONOMY AND COMMUNITY
Local makers, designers and food entrepreneurs get space to shine here. Platforms such as Makers Landing and the Watershed bring together over 150 local brands. Jobs, training, innovation and community involvement are part of the mix, rather than afterthoughts.
So, when you hear people say they hate malls, maybe share what you’ ve learned. The V & A Waterfront isn’ t just a shopping district; it’ s a powerhouse of sustainability and proof that a small city can thrive when everyone works together. There’ s no“ I” in Team Waterfront.
On your next wander there, look beyond the shopfronts. You’ re not just visiting a mall by the sea; you’ re walking through a neighbourhood with its own heartbeat, a small city where ships, ideas and cultures still converge, and Cape Town’ s story keeps unfolding.
38 | SUMMER 2025 / 26 • rovesa. co. za