I drove out to Cape Town early yesterday morning and was surprised by the low levels of traffic on the Blue Route and then into the city itself. Another thing that struck me on the way to the station, where I was collecting family from the bus terminus near the station, was something I’d never really noticed before.
Along one of the boulevards there were pedestrian walkways named after well-known people in Cape Town — musicians, academics, and others. I thought this was a great thing. There are already more than enough English and Afrikaans names around, and while in other cities politicians have gone about renaming old places in sometimes heavy-handed ways, here in Cape Town it felt different. These were new pedestrian walkways that had never been named before, now bearing the names of prominent people from District Six. It felt considered. Respectful.
When I got to the bus terminus itself, I parked and, surprisingly, it was quite pleasant. Yes, you get people rushing up to you — parking guards, people asking for money, a few dubious characters — but you’ll find that anywhere in the world. Johannesburg station, by comparison, is another story entirely: derelict, filthy, grimy, and frankly intimidating. Here, though, it was clean. Pleasant. Beautiful trees, no traffic problems, no hooting, no screaming, no minibus chaos. Just… calm.
The bus was late — there had been heavy traffic coming into Cape Town on the N1 — so I decided to head up to Roeland Street. On the way, I was surprised by how good the gardens around the Castle of Good Hope looked. The parking was packed. I know the Castle has had its share of trouble with vagrancy and neglect over the years, but it seems to be a real tourist attraction again. Something has clearly been done to restore it and preserve its historical significance and place in the city.
On Roeland Street I stopped for a coffee at one of the cafés. With time on my hands and the bus getting later, I remembered there were two small businesses nearby that I wanted to speak to — owners or staff — about projects I’m planning for 2026. I couldn’t remember the name of one company, but through the other I eventually tracked it down and went to visit the owner. We had a good chat. She was very helpful, which I appreciated.
The office spaces in that part of Cape Town, especially around Roeland Street, are fantastic — really smart, well kept. You get a feeling of safety there. I know Cape Town isn’t completely safe, but in certain areas it really is fine. What a pleasure.
The Roeland Street Fire Station is still there. I remember it as a kid, driving past and seeing the fire engines — big and gleaming — from the back seat of my father’s Studebaker. That was a long time ago. But on a beautiful summer’s day, it was simply great to be in the city, which is by far the cleanest city in South Africa.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t problems. There’s a lot of vagrancy, and shacks have been built in places. The tension between the city council and an ever-growing homeless population is real. But at least in Cape Town there’s an attempt to keep a grip on things. In Johannesburg, by contrast, nothing is done, whole areas become no-go zones, and things simply fall apart.
It was a wonderful day in the city, even though it was hot. The car read 27 degrees while moving, but once stationary it climbed to 31. Proper heat. I was relieved, after collecting the family, to head back over to the other side of the peninsula and feel that fresh south-easter as you come over Boyes Drive.
