Cape Town, SA's remote working hot spot, the one to watch in 2022

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"If you can work from home, you can work from anywhere." The flexibility to use remote working tech like Zoom, Teams and Slack have made the dream of living and working anywhere you want a reality. 

This is the sentiment driving the ongoing semigration trend to Cape Town, Africa's tech capital (it's not called the Silicone Cape for nothing).

Add to that, the Western Cape's stability continues to be a crucial drawcard for skilled and affluent South Africans from other parts of the country. This is according to industry experts who believe Cape Town is the one to watch for property growth and investment opportunities in 2022. 

The city escaped the turmoil of the July riots that devastated parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. It has also avoided the messy, hung outcomes of the recent municipal elections, with the "spin-offs only set to be positive for the Western Cape property market".

Industry data also shows the bulk of people who semigrate within South Africa, do so to moved to Cape Town.

The city is seen as offering "better economic opportunities, world-class infrastructure, universities and skill-sets spanning diverse sectors". 

"This makes us the perfect destination for remote workers this summer and beyond,” says the Western Cape's Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier.

One of the world’s best remote working cities 

Cape Town has been voted one of the 50 best places for remote working in the world, outranking the likes of New Zealand’s Wellington and Portugal’s Lisbon, on variables that included affordability and internet access, as well as cool co-working spaces and expat-friendly communities. 

Wesgro, the province’s official tourism and investment promotion agency, has partnered with relocation experts Day1 to encourage remote workers to move to the area in the short and long term. 

“There is an abundance of opportunities in Cape Town and the Western Cape, from the vibrant tech sector and connectivity to the cosmopolitan network of professionals from around the globe, making this the destination for those who want to work, while also living a little,” said Wesgro chief executive Wrenelle Stander.

The role of developments in cementing Cape Town's appeal

In the face of a tourism industry that has been hard-hit by the lockdown restrictions of Covid, Morne Moller, Director at Rawson Developers believes developers have their part to play in adding to the appeal of Cape Town, and thereby helping to spur recovery. 

“Our overarching aim is to not only create buildings that enhance an area and boost its potential, but ones that also provide buyers with sound investment opportunities." 

This all turns the economic wheel in the right direction, to reduce the debt to GDP ratio. 

Moller says The Tokyo, a 148 unit residential development offering hotel-style living apartments in the heart of Cape Town’s CBD, is well-suited to remote working professionals, from South Africa and across the globe. 

Boasting 15 floors of luxury micro-apartments and a ground floor restaurant and cafe, 24-hour concierge service, business lounge, and state-of-the-art fitness centre, it presents an appealing lock-up-and-go lifestyle. 

"Our biggest hope is to inject a renewed life force into one of our city's tourist hot spots. Increased foot traffic in the area will hopefully in turn also provide more clientele for local dining and retail establishments that have all felt the undeniable aftermath of a quiet lockdown period,” he says. 

The Tokyo's features include: 

Newlands Peak, he adds is Rawson's "most significant and progressive project”. The 11-storey, pet-friendly building is certainly one of the largest of its kind in this Southern Suburbs neighbourhood of Cape Town, with a more quaint appeal than its CBD counterpart. 

According to Moller, community was a key consideration for Newlands Peak’s design, inspiring its vibrant public spaces and adding to its remote working appeal. 

“We’ve really pushed the envelope in terms of modern architectural design, incorporating emerging global trends in both aesthetics and layout.” 

With a bold, geometric exterior that fits seamlessly into its leafy surroundings, all 232 units sees “sensitive interplay between contemporary design, natural light and green spaces”. 

“From the elegant rooftop deck with its state-of-the-art fitness centre and dual heated pools, to the landscaped atrium and spacious balconies flowing off every apartment, fresh air and open spaces are a big part of Newlands Peak’s appeal.” 

Newlands Peak features include:

• 11 Storey luxury apartment block
• Secure undercover parking
• 8 floors of apartments including:

- Ground floor garden apartments
- 2 floors of penthouse apartments

• Rooftop deck with 2 heated swimming pools
• Top floor state-of-the-art fitness centre
• High speed fibre connectivity
• Luxurious foyer & concierge
• 24-hour security
• Premium coffee shop & restaurant
• Landscaped atrium with seating & WiFi
• Drop & go laundromat
• Pet friendly  

Click here to view Newlands Peak

To arrange a viewing or have somebody contact your with more information about either of these developments, click here for Newlands Peak or click here for The Tokyo.