All Chapters of the Cape of Storms to Come investigation can be accessed here

The Philippi Horticultural Area currently produces over 100,000 tonnes of vegetables per year – some estimate as much as 200,000 tonnes – keeping food costs low thanks to the farms’ proximity to the city centre.

The area is also described as “drought-proof” as it lies atop the Cape Flats Aquifer – a boon during the Cape’s devastating drought.

But the PHA is under threat. For nearly a decade, activists have been contesting two major property developments in Philippi on an area measuring some 753ha. They recently began fighting a proposed silica sand mine by Consol glass nearby, too.

The battle has now escalated. This year, the PHA Food and Farming Campaign is taking 12 respondents – including officials from local, national and provincial government – to court to fight for the land.

Initially, officials and developers argued development would help solve an urgent need for low-cost housing. But there was more to the story… DM

Follow the link to the second and third part of our three-part investigation on the Philippi Horticultural Area. Read Chapter 2 and Chapter 3

Photo: The southern edge of the Philippi Horticultural Area. Drone footage by Christiaan Serfontein