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Bishop Lavis

Safety 31/100 Safer than 34% of Cape Town suburbs (relative) Property 2-400k Top 88% Schools 10 91% matric pass rate Healthcare 20 facilities more access than most suburbs Council Near avg complaints 2d median resolution Transport Minibus taxi coverage well-connected area

Data current as of

The neighbourhood

What's it like to live here?

Bishop Lavis is a neighbourhood in Cape Flats, Cape Town, where property values place it among the more affordable areas in 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. Policing falls under the Bishop Lavis SAPS precinct.

How is the area changing?

In Bishop Lavis, crime levels are stable based on the most recent quarterly comparison. Property values have broadly tracked inflation between valuation rolls.

What should buyers know?

Bishop Lavis is well-served by schools, and matric results are broadly in line with the city average. In this area, service complaints are generally resolved within a few days. 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 Bishop Lavis safe?

Higher reported crime

58th percentile among 744 suburbs · relative index, not an absolute safety measure

Very high Absolute crime volume
18 180 reported crimes per year · city median: 10 468
↑ 19.1% vs Q3 2024
Crime is higher than most of Cape Town. Contact crime (assault, robbery) dominates the reported crime profile. Check the breakdown below for specifics.

Detailed data

Safety index (resident-adjusted) How is this calculated? 31 / 100
Contact crime rate 957,581 per 100k residents
Station population 118 121
Harm rate (per resident) 49/100
Harm volume (absolute) 19/100
Data period Q3 2025/2026 (Oct–Dec 2025)
Source SAPS via DataFirst · CC-BY 4.0

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

Disagree with this score? Challenge the methodology ›

Source: SAPS via DataFirst · Q3 2025/2026

Read more: Cape Town crime statistics by suburb 2026

FOR BUYERS & INVESTORS

What do properties cost in Bishop Lavis?

12th percentile

The median property value in Bishop Lavis is R430K. Property values have grown by 5.7% per year since 2018.

A 5.7% annual growth rate (CAGR) over the valuation period.
Value band distribution – Bishop Lavis properties (GV2022)

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 R430,000
Value growth (CAGR 2018–2022) +5.7% per year ↑ Growing
City-wide value percentile 12th percentile
Dominant value band 2-400k
Source CCT GV 2022 · Open Data Policy 27781

Source: City of Cape Town GV2022

FOR PARENTS

How are schools in Bishop Lavis?

10 schools nearby

Bishop Lavis has 10 schools within reach. The area matric pass rate is 90.8%, above the city median of 90.0%. Schools include Bishops School Of Skills.

Adjusted pass rate
90.8%
City median: 90.0%
Schools contributing
2
349 candidates
Median quintile
Q4
Q4-Q5
–
Bishops School Of Skills
Public · Special needs · 305 learners · 16.9:1 learner-educator ratio
Specialist provision
Q4
Bergville Primêre Skool
Public · Grades R–7 · 431 learners · 30.8:1 learner-educator ratio
Q4
Bishop Lavis Primary School
Public · Grades R–7 · 607 learners · 35.7:1 learner-educator ratio
Q4
Greenlands Primary School
Public · Grades R–7 · 873 learners · 36.4:1 learner-educator ratio
Q4
Helderberg Primary School
Public · Grades R–7 · 676 learners · 35.6:1 learner-educator ratio
Q4
Hillside Primêre Skool
Public · Grades R–7 · 500 learners · 31.2:1 learner-educator ratio
Q4
Lavisrylaan Primary School
Public · Grades R–7 · 481 learners · 32.1:1 learner-educator ratio
Q4
Riverton Primêre Skool
Public · Grades R–7 · 280 learners · 21.5:1 learner-educator ratio
Favourable class size
Q4
Bishop Lavis Sekondêr
Public · Grades 8–12 · 1,426 learners · 34:1 learner-educator ratio
Q4
John Ramsay Hoërskool
Public · Grades 8–12 · 1,105 learners · 36.8:1 learner-educator ratio

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 Bishop Lavis?

Vehicle-led mix

Bishop Lavis has 9 minibus taxi routes. The most common way people get to work is by private vehicle (33%).

Taxi connectivity Ranks this suburb's taxi route access against all 744 Cape Town suburbs. Based on routes matched by name and within 500m of suburb centre. Large suburbs may have higher actual connectivity than shown. Full methodology ›

Limited connectivity
9 routes
35th percentile · 7 destinations
Bishop lavis, Elsies river, Hyperama parow, Montana, Netreg, Netreg station +1 more
Based on CCT minibus taxi route data. Routes matched by name and spatial proximity (500m). Methodology ›

Commute mode share

A mixed transport profile. Multiple modes serve Bishop Lavis – consider proximity to work when evaluating.
Private vehicle
33%
Walking
24%
MyCiTi bus
9%
Minibus taxi
28%
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 (33%)
Source CCT Household Survey 2024

Source: City of Cape Town Open Data · 2024

FOR RESIDENTS

What are living conditions in Bishop Lavis?

Partial service delivery

Bishop Lavis has a service delivery index of 93.9 out of 100, above the city median of 84.5. 63% of dwellings are formal structures.

Computed from the City of Cape Town 2024 Household Survey , Bishop Lavis survey group (44 households). direct.

86% owner-occupied - one of the most stable residential profiles in the metro
› Adult food insecurity (19.1%) is 1.0× the city average of 18.3%.› Monthly accommodation expenditure (R204) is 0.1× the city median of R1,674.› Social grants reach 71% of households, providing a critical income safety net.

Access to basic services

94 City median: 85
Piped water
97.8%
Flush toilet
77.7%
Weekly refuse
100.0%
Grid electricity
100.0%

Housing & tenure – Owner-dominated residential area

63 City median: 68
Formal dwellings
63.2%
Owner-occupied
86.5%
Rented
9.0%

Environmental risk – Moderate risk exposure

19 risk index · higher = greater risk · City median: 26
Flooding risk
8.5%
Fire risk
1.2%
Violent crime
3.1%
Non-violent crime
3.1%

Economic structure – Moderate material pressure

Food spending share
57.3%
Share of income spent on food
City median: 35.3%
Under pressure, limited discretionary income · 7th percentile
Hardship dimensions
1
Areas of material need (out of 8)
Grant income share
71.0%
of households receiving grants

Spending priorities – top priority: Electricity

Electricity
78.6%
of households prioritise
Food
76.7%
of households prioritise
Petrol/transport
46.8%
of households prioritise
Rent/bond
14.3%
of households prioritise
School fees
10.9%
of households prioritise

Digital inclusion – Mixed-access suburb

Home fibre
33.9%
City median: 46.5%
Mobile only
47.0%
No access
16.1%

Food security

Adult food insecurity
19.1%
City median: 18.3%
Child food insecurity
16.0%
City median: 13.0%
Food insecurity prevalence
15.0%
City median: 22.3%

Demographics & community

Avg household size
3.6 people
Avg children per household
0.9

Asset ownership

Computer access
11.9%
Fridge ownership
94.5%
Property ownership
0.0%
Geyser ownership
30.2%
Borehole access
0.0%

Home-based economy

Home-based business
5.3%
of households operate a home-based business
WFH part-time
3.1%

How Bishop Lavis compares

Material hardship 27% below the city average for material hardship
Income 50% below the city average for median household income
Food spend share 1.6× the city average for food expenditure share
Digital access 27% below the city average for home internet access

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

Source: City of Cape Town household survey · 2024

Read more: Cape Town household conditions 2026: what the survey data reveals

FOR RESIDENTS

How responsive are municipal services in Bishop Lavis?

Responsive

The City of Cape Town resolves service requests in Bishop Lavis in a median of 2 days, compared to the city-wide median of 1 day. This is based on 13,409 service requests to the City of Cape Town.

Computed from City of Cape Town service request data
Below-average municipal responsiveness. A 2-day median resolution is slower than the city median – infrastructure complaints take meaningfully longer to resolve.
2
Median days to resolve
City median: 1
17th
Percentile
across Cape Town
18%
Resolved
same day
Sewerage overflow (32%)Street lights out (7%)Damaged Bin - 240L (4%)Single street light out (4%)Leak at meter/stopcock 20mm below (4%)
Service requests logged 13 409
Requests resolved 77% (10 391 of 13 409)
75% resolved within 7 days
90% resolved within 18 days
Source CCT service request database
Community & faith

Places of worship

11 registered
Christian
10
Islamic
1

Registered places of worship per suburb from City of Cape Town open data. Coverage: 299 of 744 suburbs.

Municipal complaints

Complaints & top issues

Near city average
Complaint rate How is this calculated? 1906.7 per 1,000 households
Total complaints 13 374
Unresolved 22.0%

Top issues: SEW: Blocked/Overflow (4 272), Street Lights - All Lights Out (874), Damaged Bin - 240L (544)

Source: City of Cape Town C3 service requests

FOR FAMILIES

What services are near Bishop Lavis?

Well served

Healthcare access

20 within 5km
Nearest public Bishop Lavis Clinic · Clinic · 0.1 km
Nearest private Melomed Gatesville · Private Hospital · 5.2 km
Public facilities 20
Private facilities 0

This suburb has public healthcare access but no private facilities within 5 km.

The nearest fire station to Bishop Lavis is Epping, 4.2 km away. The nearest public pool is Elsies River Swimming Pool, 2.3 km away. The nearest clinic is Bishop Lavis Clinic, 0.1 km away.

Nearest clinic Bishop Lavis Clinic · 0.1 km
Nearest library Bishop Lavis · 0.2 km
Nearest park / open space Vygie Road Park · 0.25 km

Fire station

4.2
km to nearest
fire station
Epping
community station
within-5km
response
category

Cape Town has 32 fire stations serving 744 suburbs. Source: CCT open data.

Public swimming pools

2.3
km to nearest
public pool
7
pools
within 5 km
20
pools
within 10 km
Nearest pool Elsies River Swimming Pool

Cape Town operates 35 public swimming pools. Source: CCT open data.

Distances straight-line from suburb centroid.

Source: City of Cape Town facility registry

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Explore surrounding areas

Bordering suburbs

7 adjacent

Suburbs that border or sit adjacent to Bishop Lavis. Each has its own safety profile, property market, and service data.

Adriaanse Clarkes Estate Kalksteenfontein Matroosfontein Modderdam Nooitgedacht Valhalla Park
Further reading

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Bishop Lavis · -33.9478°S, 18.5819°E

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