Philippi - Cape Town Neighbourhood

At a glance

A large township area on the Cape Flats with significant safety challenges. Known for the Philippi Horticultural Area which supplies much of Cape Town's fresh produce.

Strengths

Affordable
Philippi farming area
Community spirit

Trade-offs

Very high crime rate
Gang activity
Limited infrastructure

LocationCape Flats · on the map
Without a carCar needed
Page reviewed5 Sep 2026
Rent and price dataFeb 2026

Staying or living here

Visiting

Where to stay for a first visit →

Living here

R3,500

1BR Rent/month

R5,500

2BR Rent/month

R475,000

Median 1BR Price

R14,142

Monthly cost, one person

Rent and price data: Feb 2026 (15 listings). Monthly cost from the affordability hub, rent listings from February 2026 (≈ €762 · $853). Compare monthly costs → · View listings on Property24

Safety and walking

Philippi is somewhere people live and work rather than visit. Residents move on the main roads, Govan Mbeki, Stock Road and New Eisleben Road, through the day as a matter of course. For anyone without a local host, walking is not advisable at any hour. After dark, avoid open ground and the sand fields, the areas around the rail line and the taxi ranks, and arrange transport to the door rather than walking the last stretch. Keep phones out of sight. Anyone here for work should arrive and leave in daylight, by vehicle, with the visit arranged in advance. Report extortion demands to the station rather than paying quietly.

Tourist relevance: not a visitor area

Guide rating · editorial assessment

1.0/10 Avoid

Our editorial rating for Philippi as a whole, set in the neighbourhood guide from ward crime data, news and local knowledge. Period: 2026. Read the guide

Ward Safety Index · ward-based index

1.2/10 Avoid

Computed for ward 35, the council ward that covers the neighbourhood, from SAPS station statistics and incident reports. How the score is built

Violent crime

0.7

Organised crime & gangs

2.0

Street & personal crime

1.4

Residential & property crime

2.2

Vehicle crime

2.2

Pillar scores of the Ward Safety Index for the same wards, each 0–10, higher is safer.

Street-by-street zones, walking routes, recent incidents and what locals say.

Read Guide

Map of the area

One map with the neighbourhood boundary, the council wards behind the Ward Safety Index, and the alternatives listed below.

Philippi: satellite picture — Satellite picture, 15 March 2026, Neighbourhood boundary Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data, 10 m per pixel.

Compare alternatives

Ottery · Cape Flats 4.0

Higher ward index (3.9 vs 1.2), pricier one-bed rent (from R7,400 vs R3,500)

Parow · Northern Suburbs 6.0

Higher ward index (4.6 vs 1.2), pricier one-bed rent (from R8,250 vs R3,500)

Rondebosch · Southern Suburbs 7.5

Higher ward index (6.9 vs 1.2), pricier one-bed rent (from R13,000 vs R3,500), possible without a car

Compare these side by side in the directory →

Updates and sources

Page reviewed 5 September 2026
Data period Rent and price figures: February 2026
Data period Guide rating: 2026
Method How the Ward Safety Index is built
Evidence No district crime report covers Philippi yet
Guide Philippi: Cape Town's Agricultural Township, 2026 Update

Safety scores and property data are estimates based on publicly available sources and may not reflect current conditions. Always exercise personal judgement and conduct your own research before making housing or travel decisions.