Khayelitsha has a safety index of 29 out of 100 (Higher reported crime). This is a relative measure comparing reported crime across Cape Town suburbs, not an absolute safety guarantee. The Khayelitsha precinct recorded approximately 22,340 crimes in the most recent annual period. Absolute crime volume is above the city average.

Khayelitsha

Safety 29/100 Safer than 28% of Cape Town suburbs (relative) Schools 4 nearby Healthcare 18 facilities more access than most suburbs Council Below avg complaints 5d median resolution Transport Minibus taxi coverage well-connected area

Data current as of March 2026

#1 Most Improved

The neighbourhood

What's it like to live here?

Khayelitsha is a neighbourhood in Cape Flats, Cape Town. The dominant commuter mode is minibus taxi.

How is the area changing?

Crime trend data is not available for Khayelitsha. No recent valuation trend data is available for this suburb.

What should buyers know?

Khayelitsha is served by schools within reach. In this area, service complaint resolution takes around a week on average. The suburb is well-served by nearby healthcare facilities. Like many areas shaped by apartheid-era spatial planning, infrastructure and service indicators in Khayelitsha reflect decades of structural under-investment rather than current community capacity. Reported crime statistics should be read alongside policing density, reporting rates, and the legacy of the Group Areas Act.

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 Khayelitsha safe?

Higher reported crime

Higher crime Moderate Lower crime

75th percentile among 744 suburbs · relative index, not an absolute safety measure

Very high Absolute crime volume

22 340 reported crimes per year · city median: 10 468

↓ 14.6% vs Q3 2024

Crime statistics here reflect decades of underinvestment in infrastructure and services, not the character of the community. Crime has decreased over the past year. Contact crime (assault, robbery) dominates the reported crime profile.

Detailed data

Safety index (resident-adjusted) How is this calculated? 29 / 100

Contact crime rate 1,900,811 per 100k residents

Station population 518 910

Harm rate (per resident) 95/100

Harm volume (absolute) 9/100

Data period Q3 2025/2026 (Oct–Dec 2025)

Source SAPS via DataFirst · CC-BY 4.0

Methodology note: The safety index combines harm-per-resident and absolute harm volume using a composite formula. In high-density precincts, population size dilutes the per-capita rate while absolute harm remains high. Both dimensions are reflected in the composite score.

This data reflects crimes reported to SAPS Khayelitsha precinct, which covers Khayelitsha 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

FOR BUYERS & INVESTORS

What do properties cost in Khayelitsha?

No property valuation data available for this suburb.

Source: City of Cape Town GV2022

FOR PARENTS

How are schools in Khayelitsha?

4 schools nearby

Khayelitsha has 4 schools within reach. Schools include Inkanini Primary School.

Matric results: pass rate data currently covers 157 of 744 suburbs. Khayelitsha will surface when DBE suburb-level data is processed in the next pipeline run. About coverage ›

Inkanini Primary School

Public · Grades R–7 · 1,299 learners · 41.9:1 learner-educator ratio

No-fee schoolStrained capacity

–

Noluthando School For The Deaf

Public · Special needs · 315 learners · 6.6:1 learner-educator ratio

Specialist provision

–

Lathi-Tha School Of Skills

Public · Special needs · 457 learners · 16.9:1 learner-educator ratio

Specialist provision

–

Khayelitsha Lsen School

Public · Special needs · 390 learners · 12.2:1 learner-educator ratio

Specialist provision

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 Khayelitsha?

Taxi-connected

Khayelitsha has 83 minibus taxi routes, including routes to the CBD. The most common way people get to work is by minibus taxi (50%).

Taxi connectivity

Well connected

83 routes

96th percentile · 59 destinations · CBD-connected

Bellville, Bellville (via n2, cape town, n1, & durban rd), Bellville (via n2, cape town, n1, vanguard dr & voortrekker rd), Blaauwberg, Blackheath, Bloekombos +53 more

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

Commute mode share

Minibus taxis are the primary transport mode. The 50% share reflects a working-class commuter profile – taxi connectivity is a critical economic lifeline, not a lifestyle choice.

Private vehicle

20%

Walking

20%

MyCiTi bus

10%

Minibus taxi

50%

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 Minibus taxi (50%)

Source CCT Household Survey 2024

Source: City of Cape Town Open Data · 2024

FOR RESIDENTS

What are living conditions in Khayelitsha?

Partial service delivery

Khayelitsha has a service delivery index of 77.8 out of 100, below the city median of 84.5. 49% of dwellings are formal structures.

Computed from the City of Cape Town 2024 Household Survey , Site C survey group (49 households). direct.

Food insecurity affects 25% of households - 1.4× the city average

› Adult food insecurity (25.4%) is 1.4× the city average of 18.3%.› Monthly accommodation expenditure (R162) is 0.1× the city median of R1,674.› Mobile-dependent: 62% of households rely on mobile data as their primary internet access.› 18% of households have experienced flooding, indicating elevated environmental vulnerability.› 40% of dwellings are informal structures, reflecting historical under-investment in formal housing provision.› Social grants reach 58% of households, providing a critical income safety net.

Food security

Adult food insecurity

25.4%

City median: 18.3%

Child food insecurity

13.9%

City median: 13.0%

Food insecurity prevalence

33.6%

City median: 22.3%

Access to basic services

78 City median: 85

Piped water

74.1%

Flush toilet

74.2%

Weekly refuse

63.1%

Grid electricity

100.0%

Housing & tenure – Informal or family-compound housing

49 City median: 68

Formal dwellings

49.2%

Owner-occupied

25.5%

Rented

16.4%

Environmental risk – Moderate risk exposure

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

Flooding risk

18.4%

Fire risk

2.5%

Violent crime

6.1%

Non-violent crime

2.7%

Economic structure – Significant material pressure

Food spending share

41.2%

Share of income spent on food
City median: 35.3%
Under pressure, limited discretionary income · 43rd percentile

Hardship dimensions

Areas of material need (out of 8)

Grant income share

58.0%

of households receiving grants

Monthly savings

R320

Weighted mean per household

Spending priorities – top priority: Food

Food

64.4%

of households prioritise

Electricity

56.5%

of households prioritise

Petrol/transport

17.2%

of households prioritise

Rent/bond

9.5%

of households prioritise

Debt repayment

5.8%

of households prioritise

Digital inclusion – Mobile-dependent suburb

Home fibre

23.4%

City median: 46.5%

Mobile only

62.3%

No access

11.4%

Demographics & community

Avg household size

4.2 people

Avg children per household

1.8

Asset ownership

Computer access

3.7%

Fridge ownership

93.9%

Property ownership

2.5%

Geyser ownership

8.4%

Borehole access

0.4%

Home-based economy

Home-based business

5.5%

of households operate a home-based business

How Khayelitsha compares

Food insecurity 39% above the city average for adult food insecurity

Material hardship 1.8× the city average for material hardship

Income 50% below the city average for median household income

Food spend share 17% above the city average for food expenditure share

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

Energy access

82%

Free basic electricity

5.6%

City median

82% of electricity connections in Khayelitsha 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. 15,661 connections.

Source: City of Cape Town household survey · 2024

FOR RESIDENTS

How responsive are municipal services in Khayelitsha?

Moderate

The City of Cape Town resolves service requests in Khayelitsha in a median of 5 days, compared to the city-wide median of 1 day. This is based on 14,171 service requests to the City of Cape Town.

Computed from City of Cape Town service request data

Below-average municipal responsiveness. A 5-day median resolution is slower than the city median – infrastructure complaints take meaningfully longer to resolve.

Median days to resolve
City median: 1

2nd

Percentile
across Cape Town

Resolved
same day

Sewerage overflow (14%)Other (9%)Burst pipe (7%)Faulty pan connector (6%)Broken leading (6%)

Service requests logged 14 171

Requests resolved 84% (11 936 of 14 171)

75% resolved within 6 days

90% resolved within 10 days

Source CCT service request database

Municipal complaints

Complaints & top issues

Below city average

Complaint rate How is this calculated? 91.4 per 1,000 households

Total complaints 11 852

Unresolved 16.0%

Top issues: SEW: Blocked/Overflow (1 397), Other (1 235), WAT: Burst Pipe (837)

Source: City of Cape Town C3 service requests

FOR FAMILIES

What services are near Khayelitsha?

Well served

Healthcare access

18 within 5km

Nearest public Zakhele Clinic · Community Day Centre · 1.6 km

Nearest private Melomed Mitchells Plain · Private Hospital · 2.5 km

Public facilities 17

Private facilities 1

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

The nearest fire station to Khayelitsha is Khayelitsha, 3.0 km away. The nearest public pool is Eastridge Swimming Pool, 1.4 km away. The nearest clinic is Zakhele Clinic, 1.6 km away.

Nearest clinic Zakhele Clinic · 1.6 km

Nearest library Kulani · 1.5 km

Nearest park / open space Voelvlei Street Park · 0.99 km

Fire station

km to nearest
fire station

Khayelitsha

community station

within-5km

response
category

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

Public swimming pools

1.4

km to nearest
public pool

pools
within 5 km

pools
within 10 km

Nearest pool Eastridge 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

Nearby suburbs

Good Hope399m

→

Ilitha Park1.2km · R650K

→

Tafelsig1.5km · R480K

36→

Eastridge1.8km · R520K

36→

Khaya2.0km · R350K

→

Similar suburbs

Barnet Molokwana Corner

29 →

Bellville Teachers College

29 →

Benno Park R1-1.5M

29 →

Explore surrounding areas

Bordering suburbs

3 adjacent

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

Bongani Good Hope Tafelsig

Khayelitsha

What's it like to live here?

How is the area changing?

What should buyers know?

Is Khayelitsha safe?

What do properties cost in Khayelitsha?

How are schools in Khayelitsha?

How connected is Khayelitsha?

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 ›

Commute mode share

What are living conditions in Khayelitsha?

Food security

Access to basic services

Housing & tenure – Informal or family-compound housing

Environmental risk – Moderate risk exposure

Economic structure – Significant material pressure

Spending priorities – top priority: Food

Digital inclusion – Mobile-dependent suburb

Demographics & community

Asset ownership

Home-based economy

How Khayelitsha compares

How responsive are municipal services in Khayelitsha?

Complaints & top issues

What services are near Khayelitsha?

Healthcare access

Fire station

Public swimming pools

Nearby suburbs

Similar suburbs

Bordering suburbs

Related articles

Get updates for Khayelitsha

Taxi connectivity