The Cape Town Weekly | 8–15 February 2026, What's up in Cape Town

February 13, 2026

The Cape Town Weekly

Your guide to the Mother City

13 February 2026 · Edition #4

SONA Delivered — Army to the Cape Flats

Last night, President Ramaphosa delivered his 2026 State of the Nation Address from Cape Town City Hall, declaring South Africa has “turned a corner” and announcing SANDF deployment to fight gang violence on the Cape Flats and illegal mining in Gauteng.

The rand continues to strengthen at R15.96/$ and R18.87/€, fuel prices remain at four-year lows, and Valentine’s Day is tomorrow. Plus: Jeremy Loops at Kirstenbosch on Sunday and the Investec Cape Town Art Fair opens next week.

In this edition: SONA key takeaways · exchange rates · Valentine’s events · Art Fair preview · Franschhoek Pass update · weather · safety & power · emergency contacts.

SONA 2026 — Key Takeaways

Last Night

“We Have Turned a Corner”

President Ramaphosa delivered his 10th SONA at Cape Town City Hall on 12 February at 19:00, opening by honouring the women of the 1956 march. He painted an upbeat picture — GDP growth accelerating, two successive primary budget surpluses, credit rating upgraded to BB, and the rand at multi-year highs.

7 Key Points

SANDF Deployment

Army to be deployed to the Cape Flats to fight gang violence and to Gauteng to combat illegal mining — to loud cheers in the chamber.

Water Crisis Committee

A new National Water Crisis Committee, chaired by Ramaphosa himself, to tackle municipal water failures — described as the next big infrastructure emergency.

Eskom Restructuring

An independent state-owned transmission entity to be established. Load shedding declared over, with only 26 hours recorded in the past year.

R1 Trillion Infrastructure

Massive infrastructure investment planned across energy, transport, water, and digital systems. R2 trillion in new private investment targeted over 5 years.

Crime & Syndicates

Organised crime declared “the most immediate threat to our democracy.” Senior police to undergo lifestyle audits and complete re-vetting.

Foot-and-Mouth Disaster

FMD declared a national disaster as outbreaks batter the cattle industry. Emergency support and control measures announced.

SONA Debate & Reply

The parliamentary debate runs 12–13 February. President Ramaphosa replies on 14 February. Finance Minister Godongwana’s Budget Speech follows. Some CBD road closures remain until 28 February.

Fuel & Exchange Rates

Pump Prices Still at 4-Year Lows

Petrol 95 coastal at R19.27/l (down 65c from 4 Feb). Diesel 50ppm at R17.09/l. These remain the lowest pump prices since February 2022. No new adjustment until 5 March.

Current Coastal Prices (Cape Town)

Petrol 95R19.27/l↓ 65c (4 Feb)

Petrol 93R19.20/l↓ 65c

Diesel 0.05%R17.09/l↓ 50c

Diesel 0.005%R17.12/l↓ 57c

Exchange Rates (13 Feb)

USD / ZARR15.96Strengthening

EUR / ZARR18.87Best in years

The rand has continued to rally post-SONA, with analysts noting the BB credit upgrade and investor confidence. The strong currency is a key driver behind low fuel prices. SA’s economy is growing, inflation is low, and business confidence is improving — all themes Ramaphosa highlighted last night.

This Weekend — 13–15 February

Valentine’s Day — Saturday 14 Feb

Love Is in the Air

Cape Town goes full romance this Saturday. From rooftop parties to winelands picnics, there’s something for every kind of love story. Plan ahead — restaurants and events book out fast.

Feb

Tunde (Lighthouse Family) — Kirstenbosch

An evening with the voice behind High and Lifted. Gates 4pm, show from 6:30pm. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.

Feb

Paradisco: Love Sensation — Grand Africa Café & Beach

Disco, house, and feel-good beats. Dance barefoot by the ocean and celebrate love. From 4pm. The ultimate Valentine’s beach party.

Feb

Rooftop Singles Party — Grand Daddy Hotel

Skip the pressure — great music, easy conversation, and city views. 38 Long Street, from 2pm. Perfect for those flying solo.

Feb

Valentine’s Sunset Picnic — Zevenwacht Wine Estate

Romantic picnic under the stars in the Stellenbosch winelands. Collect your basket brimming with farm-fresh goodness.

Feb

Grape Stomping & Harvest Festival

Stomp, sip, and celebrate the harvest in style. Multiple winelands venues offering Valentine’s harvest experiences.

Feb

Crazy Stupid Love — Kirstenbosch

Special Valentine’s Day show. Outdoor cinema under the stars at the botanical garden. From 5pm.

Feb

Singles Hike — Lion’s Head

Meet new people on a sunset hike up Lion’s Head. Starts 4:15pm from the hiking trail entrance.

Feb

Jeremy Loops — Kirstenbosch Summer Concert

Cape Town’s own folk-pop hero. Infectious energy, loop pedals, and songs built for summer sunsets. Gates 4pm, show 5:15–7pm. R255–R360.

Feb

Paarlbergfees 2026 — Paarl

Afrikaans music and culture festival at Faure Stadium. A full day of live performances and family fun.

Still Running

Twelfth Night at Maynardville — Shakespeare meets La Dolce Vita in a jazz-infused outdoor production (until 7 March, 8:15pm, from R212). From Hanover Street — powerful musical commemorating 60 years since the District Six forced removals, at Artscape Theatre (10–15 Feb). Nina Hastie — brand-new stand-up comedy (10–14 Feb, check Quicket).

Coming Up — Investec Cape Town Art Fair

Next Week

Africa’s Largest Art Fair — 20–22 February

Venue: CTICC, 1 Lower Long Street
Hours: Vernissage Thu 19 Feb 6–9pm · Fri–Sun 12–7pm
Scale: 126 exhibitors from 34 cities, 490+ artists across 44 countries
Theme: Listen — a curatorial focus on sound, silence, resonance, and the myriad ways artists invite us to hear differently
Tickets: Webtickets.co.za · 30,000 visitors expected

The 13th edition features 35 galleries exhibiting for the first time, including spaces from Lagos, Barcelona, Stockholm, and Marseille. Beyond the CTICC, the Unbound City programme extends into Zeitz MOCAA, Norval Foundation, and BlackBrick Hotel. Guided art walks run all weekend.

Franschhoek Fire — Update

Franschhoek Pass — Day Closures Continue

The pass remains closed daily 08:00–17:00 (Mon–Fri, excl. Saturdays 7 & 14 Feb) for post-fire asphalt overlay work through 26 February. Sundays open. Wine estates and town remain fully accessible. Hikers need a special pass access permit from Franschhoek Info.

The fires that burned 23,500+ hectares in Franschhoek (and over 132,000 hectares province-wide) are now fully contained. Harvest 2026 is underway — winemakers remain cautiously optimistic about smoke taint. The Western Cape Government has formally requested a disaster declaration.

Weekend Weather

Fri 13

28°

Clear & hot

Sat 14

27°

Clear & warm

Sun 15

28°

Clear & hot

Mon 16

23°

Cooling down

Tue 17

22°

Partly cloudy

A hot Valentine’s weekend ahead with highs near 28°C — perfect for beach parties, sunset hikes, and outdoor concerts. It cools down to the low 20s from Monday. Wear sunscreen and stay hydrated if you’re out at Kirstenbosch or Lion’s Head.

Safety & Power Update

SANDF Deployment Incoming

President Ramaphosa’s SONA announcement that the army will deploy to the Cape Flats to support police against gang violence was met with widespread approval. Details on timing and scope are expected in the coming days. The SANDF will also deploy to Gauteng to tackle illegal mining operations.

Load Shedding: Officially Over

Grid Stable — Load Shedding Declared Over

Ramaphosa confirmed in SONA that load shedding has effectively ended, with only 26 hours recorded in the past year and the Energy Availability Factor at 64.55%. Eskom restructuring into a transmission entity continues. Localised load reduction may still occur in areas with illegal connections. Check status: capetowndata.com/en/loadshedding

Emergency Contacts

Life-threatening emergency

112

Cape Town Metro

107 / 021 480 7700

Crime Stop (anonymous)

08600 10111

Fire emergency

021 590 1900

GBV Command Centre

0800 428 428

The Week Ahead (16–22 Feb)

20–22 Feb: Investec Art Fair

Africa’s largest art fair at the CTICC. 126 exhibitors, 490+ artists, guided walks. Vernissage 19 Feb. Tickets via Webtickets.

22 Feb: Vusi Mahlasela & Jabulile Majola

A living legend meets a rising star at Kirstenbosch. Cross-generational acoustic storytelling. 5:15pm.

19–22 Feb: Artscape Opera

Puppetry and contemporary African dance fusion at Artscape Opera House. A mindfulness festival to reconnect.

21 Feb: Ben Fuller — Under the Mountain

American Christian artist at Kirstenbosch. Neville D, Rouchelle Liedemann & Henry Pike join. Gates 6pm. R545.

Local’s Pick: Jeremy Loops at Kirstenbosch

This Sunday, Cape Town’s own Jeremy Loops takes the Kirstenbosch stage for a sunset concert that’s guaranteed to be electric. His loop-pedal mastery, folk-pop anthems, and infectious crowd energy make this the summer concert to be at. Pack a picnic, bring your own drinks (no alcohol sold on site), and arrive by 4pm for a prime lawn spot.

Pro tip: Combine it with Valentine’s weekend — a Sunday sunset concert at Kirstenbosch with the mountain glowing behind the stage is as romantic as Cape Town gets. R255–R360 via Webtickets.

Sources & Credits

South African Government (gov.za) · Parliament of South Africa · The Presidency · IOL · News24 · Daily Maverick · BusinessTech · eNCA · African News Agency · EWN · SAnews · Dept. of Petroleum and Mineral Resources · X-Rates / Xe.com · AccuWeather · What’s On in Cape Town · Time Out Cape Town · Cape Town Tourism · Investec Cape Town Art Fair · SANBI Kirstenbosch · Western Cape Government · Eskom · Winemag.co.za · CapeNature

Disclaimer: This newsletter is for general information only. Events, prices, and conditions may change without notice. Always verify with official sources.

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