Protea Village
Protea Village: Land Restored, Community Rebuilt
After nearly three decades of determined struggle, the Protea Village community has returned to their ancestral land in Bishopscourt, Cape Town. Today, 86 families have re-established their homes on the land from which their parents and grandparents were forcibly removed during apartheid. The redevelopment of Protea Village stands as one of South Africa’s most significant and successful land restitution projects.
The return to Protea Village marks the end of a long journey that began in 1995, when former residents lodged a land claim for the properties they were forced to leave under the Group Areas Act. Between 1959 and 1970, the area was declared a white group area, and residents—many of them descendants of enslaved people and long-time workers at the nearby Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens—were relocated to areas like Grassy Park on the Cape Flats.
For years, the land remained in state hands, and the community worked tirelessly to reclaim it. A breakthrough came in 2006, when the National Department of Public Works and the City of Cape Town formally awarded erven 212 and 242 in Bishopscourt to the Protea Village Communal Property Association.
Construction on the site officially began in 2024 after a final legal hurdle—an objection from Friends of the Liesbeek—was resolved through a negotiated settlement. That agreement resulted in an expanded public greenbelt along the Liesbeek River and a reduction in the number of residential stands to preserve more open space.
Today, the land is fully rehabilitated, and families have moved into newly built, high-quality homes. The redevelopment was driven by an innovative cross-subsidisation model: private homes on one side of Kirstenbosch Drive were sold to fund the construction of community homes on the other side. The model has been widely praised and is now considered a blueprint for similar land restitution efforts across South Africa.
“This community has come full circle,” said Barry Ellman, Chairperson of the Protea Village Communal Property Association. “We are not just rebuilding houses—we’re rebuilding heritage, families, and belonging. The land is ours again, and this time, it will remain in the hands of the rightful owners.”
The restored village includes more than just homes. A 4-hectare greenbelt runs along the Liesbeek River, open to the public and protected by the community. This area includes the freshwater spring that once sustained the original village. The community has made conservation a key part of the restoration, recognising the area’s cultural and environmental importance.
Protea Village today reflects both a rich past and a sustainable future. Located just below Kirstenbosch, the area has been inhabited for over 2,000 years. Archaeological evidence shows that Khoikhoi communities lived here long before colonial settlement. The village was formally established in 1834 and became a thriving, close-knit settlement. Generations of residents worked in the nearby gardens, some participating in international plant-collecting expeditions and contributing significantly to the botanical legacy of the country.
By the mid-20th century, Protea Village had grown into a stable, multigenerational community. In 1946, concern over threats of eviction led the Archbishop of Cape Town, Dr. J. R. Derbyshire, to appeal to authorities not to displace the residents. Despite these efforts, Protea Village was declared a white group area in 1957 and again in 1961, clearing the way for removals.
One of the most enduring symbols of the community is the Church of the Good Shepherd, built in 1886 by village residents using stone from the Liesbeek River. The church still stands on its original site, a living monument to the community’s endurance and faith.
“The return to Protea is not just symbolic. It’s a living, breathing community again,” said a resident who recently moved back. “Children play in the gardens, elders meet under the trees, and the river is still running beside us. We’re home.”
The project has earned national recognition. The City of Cape Town has described it as one of the most meaningful land restitution achievements to date. National government departments, conservation groups, and housing experts have acknowledged the partnership and planning that went into making the return a success.
Importantly, Protea Village is not gated or closed off. The design prioritises inclusivity, with public walkways, access to the Liesbeek greenbelt, and visible links to the surrounding area. It’s a model of how restitution can serve both justice and integration.
“This is land reform that works,” said a city official. “Not just because of the housing, but because the return honours history, protects the environment, and empowers the community.”
The story of Protea Village reminds South Africans that restitution is possible—even if it takes decades. It shows that land, once taken, can be returned; that communities, once broken, can be rebuilt; and that healing is possible when history is acknowledged and justice pursued with patience and purpose.
