Pinelands has a safety index of 34 out of 100 (Moderate reported crime). This is a relative measure comparing reported crime across Cape Town suburbs, not an absolute safety guarantee. The Pinelands precinct recorded approximately 1,228 crimes in the most recent annual period. Absolute crime volume is below the city average.

Is Pinelands affordable?

Pinelands is among the higher-value suburbs in Cape Town. The median property value of R3.6M places it in the 84th percentile, above most of the city. Note that these figures are based on the City of Cape Town General Valuation 2022 and reflect municipal valuations, not necessarily current market prices.

What are utility costs in Pinelands?

The median monthly water cost per account in Pinelands is R1,232, 87% above the city median of R658. The median monthly electricity cost per account in Pinelands is R1,909, 1% above the median of CoCT-billed suburbs of R1,900.

What is the municipal debt in Pinelands?

As of May 2026, the average outstanding municipal debt per account in Pinelands is R8,220, 7% below the city median of R8,815. Figures include all account types, so may overstate household debt in areas with commercial activity.

Pinelands

A suburb with moderate reported crime, among the highest property values in Cape Town, and strong school performance relative to Cape Town.

Safety34/100Safer than 30% of Cape Town suburbs (relative)Property3-3.5MTop 16%Schools897% matric pass rate Healthcare24 facilitiesmore access than most suburbs CouncilNear avg complaints1d median resolution TransportMinibus taxi coveragewell-connected area

Data current as of June 2026

#14 Best Schools

The neighbourhood

What's it like to live here?

Pinelands is a neighbourhood in Northern Suburbs, Cape Town, where property values sit in the upper quartile for Cape Town. The area's safety profile is below the city average for reported safety. There is a strong presence of places of worship serving the community. The dominant commuter mode is private vehicle.

How is the area changing?

In Pinelands, crime levels are stable based on the most recent quarterly comparison. Property values have remained relatively flat between valuation rolls.

What should buyers know?

Pinelands is well-served by schools, and matric results exceed the city average by a comfortable margin. In this area, the City typically resolves service complaints promptly. The suburb is well-served by nearby healthcare facilities.

Neighbourhood summary generated from StreetSignal data and reviewed by our team.

These statistics describe the suburb as a whole. Conditions vary between streets and neighbourhoods within any suburb.

For home buyers & families

Is Pinelands safe?

Moderate reported crime

Higher crimeModerateLower crime

3rd percentile among 744 suburbs · Data: Q4 2025/2026 (Jan–Mar 2026) · relative index, not an absolute safety measure

Very lowAbsolute crime volume

1 228 reported crimes per year · city median: 4 280

↑ 3.0% vs Q3 2024

Crime sits in the middle range for Cape Town. Contact crime (assault, robbery) dominates the reported crime profile.

Detailed data

Safety index (resident-adjusted) How is this calculated?: 34 / 100
Contact crime rate: 114,254 per 100k residents
Station population: 18 120
Harm rate (per resident): 29/100
Harm volume (absolute): 41/100
Data period: Q4 2025/2026 (Jan–Mar 2026)
Source: SAPS via DataFirst · CC-BY 4.0

This data reflects crimes reported to SAPS Pinelands precinct, which covers Pinelands and surrounding suburbs. Reported crime may differ from actual crime levels.Full methodology

Disagree with this score? Challenge the methodology ›

Source: SAPS via DataFirst · Q4 2025/2026

FOR BUYERS & INVESTORS

What do properties cost in Pinelands?

84th percentile

Planned development

1 hectares of land in Pinelands are earmarked for new development across 2 parcels.

Source: CCT District Spatial Development Framework (January 2023). Development areas indicate planning designation, not construction timelines.

The median property value in Pinelands is R3.6M. Property values have grown by 0.9% per year since 2018.

A 0.9% annual growth rate (CAGR) over the valuation period.

Value band distribution – Pinelands properties (GV2022)

1.5-2M

2-2.5M

2.5-3M

3-3.5M ◀

3.5-4M

4-4.5M

4.5-5M

Property values are based on the City of Cape Town's 2022 General Valuation roll. GV is an assessed value for municipal rating purposes; transaction prices frequently exceed GV. Recent sales transaction data and rental market data are not available as open data in South Africa.

Median GV2022: R3,630,000
Value growth (CAGR 2018–2022): +0.9% per year
City-wide value percentile: 84th percentile
Dominant value band: 3-3.5M
Source: CCT GV 2022 · Open Data Policy 27781
Vintage: General Valuation 2022 (municipal valuation, not current market price)

Source: City of Cape Town GV2022

FOR RESIDENTS

What do utilities cost in Pinelands?

Computed from City of Cape Town billing data

Water

R1 232 / month

87% above city median

Electricity

R1 909 / month

1% above median of CoCT-billed suburbs

Water trend:Dec 2025: R1 344Jan 2026: R1 232Feb 2026: R1 227

Electricity trend:Dec 2025: R2 174Jan 2026: R1 873Feb 2026: R1 909

Monthly cost per account from City of Cape Town billing data. Water coverage: 647 suburbs. Electricity coverage: 384 suburbs.

INVESTMENT ACTIVITY

Development activity in Pinelands

↓ Decreasing

Pinelands had 276 building plans approved in the last three financial years (FY22/23 to FY24/25), averaging 92 per year. Most were renovations and extensions.

3-year approvals: 276
Annual average: 92/yr
Avg project value: R556K

Building plans approved by the City of Cape Town (2014-2025). Approvals indicate planned investment, not completed construction. This data reflects formal building activity only and does not capture informal construction, backyard dwellings, or building work undertaken without a formal plan submission. In areas with high informality, actual construction activity may be substantially higher than these figures suggest. Source: CoCT Building Development Management (DAMS).

FOR PARENTS

How are schools in Pinelands?

8 schools nearby

Pinelands has 8 schools within reach. The area matric pass rate is 97.0%, above the city median of 90.0%. Schools include Grace Primary School.

Adjusted pass rate: 97.0%; City median: 90.0%
Schools contributing: 2; 236 candidates
Median quintile: Q5; Q4-Q5

IND
Grace Primary School
Independent · Grades R–7 · 118 learners · 11.8:1 learner-educator ratio
PrivateNo-fee schoolFavourable class size
IND
Pinelands Montessori
Independent · Grades R–7 · 28 learners · 14:1 learner-educator ratio
PrivateFavourable class size
IND
Cannons Creek School
Independent · Grades R–12 · 440 learners · 9.8:1 learner-educator ratio
PrivateQuintile 5School fees applyFavourable class size
Q5
Pinehurst Primary School
Public · Grades R–7 · 424 learners · 19.3:1 learner-educator ratio
Quintile 5School fees applyFavourable class size
Q5
The Pinelands Primary School
Public · Grades R–7 · 626 learners · 24.1:1 learner-educator ratio
Quintile 5School fees applyFavourable class size
Q5
Pinelands North Primary School
Public · Grades R–7 · 503 learners · 20.1:1 learner-educator ratio
Quintile 5School fees applyFavourable class size
Q5
Pinelands High School
Public · Grades 8–12 · 1,028 learners · 17.7:1 learner-educator ratio
Quintile 5School fees applyFavourable class size
IND
Leap Science And Maths School
Independent · Grades 8–12 · 486 learners · 18:1 learner-educator ratio
PrivateFavourable class size

Quintile 5 is the highest government-funding category - fees apply, but these are the best-resourced public schools in South Africa. Rankings set by the WCED against community socioeconomic index. Learner-educator ratio (LER) is from EMIS Q2 2025; under 30:1 is favourable by WCED standards, over 40:1 indicates strained capacity. What quintile means ›

Source: DBE EMIS · Q2 2025

FOR COMMUTERS

How connected is Pinelands?

Private vehicle dominant

Pinelands has 8 minibus taxi routes, including routes to the CBD. The most common way people get to work is by private vehicle (91%).

Taxi connectivity

Limited connectivity

8 routes

39th percentile · 10 destinations · CBD-connected

Bellville, Cape town, Century city, Langa, Mowbray, Mutual railway station +4 more

Based on CCT minibus taxi route data. Routes matched by name and spatial proximity (500m). Methodology ›

Commute mode share

Anyone relocating to Pinelands needs a car. The 91% private vehicle share is a socioeconomic profile signal, not a walkability score – in working-class Cape Town suburbs the same walking rate indicates structural necessity. Here it is lifestyle choice.

Private vehicle

91%

Walking

Cape Town transport context: In South African cities, transport mode is a socioeconomic proxy – high private vehicle = affluent, high minibus taxi = working class, high walking = structural necessity not preference. StreetSignal reports modal share rather than a walkability index, which would misrepresent SA urban mobility. Methodology ›

Dominant mode: Private vehicle (91%)
Source: CCT Household Survey 2024

Source: City of Cape Town Open Data · 2024

FOR RESIDENTS

What are living conditions in Pinelands?

Full municipal services

Pinelands has a service delivery index of 99+ out of 100, above the city median of 84.5. 100% of dwellings are formal structures.

Computed from the City of Cape Town 2024 Household Survey, Pinelands survey group (40 households). direct.

› Zero households report hunger or food deprivation across all measured dimensions.› Monthly accommodation expenditure (R3,565) is 2.1× the city median of R1,674.› High digital connectivity: 92% of households have home internet access.

Access to basic services

99+City median: 85

Piped water: 100.0%
Flush toilet: 100.0%
Weekly refuse: 100.0%
Grid electricity: 100.0%

Housing & tenure – Mixed tenure community

100City median: 68

Formal dwellings: 100.0%
Owner-occupied: 60.0%
Rented: 22.5%

Environmental risk – Low risk exposure

10risk index · higher = greater risk · City median: 26

Flooding risk: 2.5%
Fire risk: 2.5%
Violent crime: 0.0%
Non-violent crime: 2.5%

Economic structure – Moderate material pressure

Food spending share: 25.3%; Share of income spent on food
City median: 35.3%
Comfortable, moderate discretionary income · 85th percentile
Hardship dimensions: 0; Areas of material need (out of 8)
Grant income share: 10.0%; of households receiving grants
Monthly savings: R1,665; Weighted mean per household

Digital inclusion – Fibre-connected suburb

Home fibre: 92.5%; City median: 46.5%
Mobile only: 7.5%
No access: 0.0%

Food security

Adult food insecurity: 0.0%; City median: 18.3%
Child food insecurity: 0.0%; City median: 13.0%
Food insecurity prevalence: 0.0%; City median: 22.3%

Demographics & community

Avg household size: 2.3 people
Avg children per household: 0.4

Asset ownership

Computer access: 77.5%
Fridge ownership: 95.0%
Property ownership: 12.5%
Geyser ownership: 77.5%
Borehole access: 25.0%

Home-based economy

Home-based business: 10.0%; of households operate a home-based business
WFH full-time: 2.5%
WFH part-time: 2.5%

Source: City of Cape Town 2024 Household Survey. Survey group: Pinelands. direct.

Energy access

Free basic electricity

5.6%

City median

6% of electricity connections in Pinelands receive free basic electricity under the City's indigent support programme. Free basic electricity is a constitutional entitlement providing a monthly allocation to qualifying households. The proportion reflects the reach of the City's indigent support in this suburb, not a measure of poverty.

Source: CCT prepaid electricity data (2025/11/30 to 2026/01/31). Covers prepaid connections only. Credit-metered households are not included. 9,415 connections.

Source: City of Cape Town household survey · 2024

FOR RESIDENTS

How responsive are municipal services in Pinelands?

Highly responsive

The City of Cape Town resolves service requests in Pinelands in a median of 1 day, compared to the city-wide median of 1 day. This is based on 15,123 service requests to the City of Cape Town.

Computed from City of Cape Town service request data

Infrastructure problems get fixed fast. The median resolution under one day means Pinelands residents experience responsive municipal service – a signal of well-maintained infrastructure and efficient complaint routing.

Median days to resolve
City median: 1

82nd

Percentile
across Cape Town

36%

Resolved
same day

Power outage (19%)Sewerage overflow (8%)Single street light out (7%)Street lights out (6%)Water leak (4%)

Service requests logged: 15 123
Requests resolved: 78% (11 837 of 15 123)
75% resolved within: 5 days
90% resolved within: 14 days
Source: CCT service request database

Community & faith

Places of worship

12 registered

Christian

Other

Places of worship per suburb from City of Cape Town open data, supplemented with OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Coverage: 373 of 744 suburbs.

Municipal complaints

Complaints & top issues

Near city average

Complaint rate How is this calculated?: 2504.5 per 1,000 households
Total complaints: 15 106
Unresolved: 22.0%

Top issues: Power outage (2 883), Sewerage overflow (1 215), Single street light out (1 083)

Source: City of Cape Town C3 service requests

MUNICIPAL FINANCE

Municipal debt in Pinelands

7% below city median

Computed from City of Cape Town financial data

Municipal debt in Pinelands averages R8 220 per account, compared to the city median of R8 815.

R8 220

per account

7% below city median

Trend:Mar 2026: R7 772Apr 2026: R8 508May 2026: R8 220

Breakdown as of May 2026

Property rates: R10 816 189
Electricity: R5 776 643
Water: R4 739 923
Refuse: R934 169
Sewerage: R2 581 668
City-wide cleaning: R517 267
Improvement district: R0

Outstanding municipal arrears from City of Cape Town financial records. Coverage: 741 suburbs. Per-account figures available for 582 suburbs.

FOR FAMILIES

What services are near Pinelands?

Well served

Healthcare access

24 within 5km

Nearest public: Pinelands Satellite · Community Day Centre · 0.9 km
Nearest private: Life Vincent Pallotti Hospital · Private Hospital · 1.9 km
Public facilities: 20
Private facilities: 4

This suburb has access to both public and private healthcare within 5 km.

The nearest fire station to Pinelands is Epping, 3.3 km away. The nearest public pool is Langa Swimming Pool, 1.4 km away. The nearest clinic is Pinelands Satellite, 0.9 km away.

Nearest clinic: Pinelands Satellite · 0.9 km
Nearest library: Pinelands · 0.3 km
Nearest park / open space: Elsieskraal Canal · 0.29 km