Ottery Uncovered: The Complete Guide to Visiting and Living Here

Ottery sits at the edge of Cape Town’s southern suburbs, wedged between the higher-income areas of Kenilworth and Plumstead to the north and the Cape Flats communities of Grassy Park and Lotus River to the south. This positioning between two contrasting regions strongly influences the suburb’s overall character and perceived safety. Included the sub-places of Edward, Ferness, Ottery, Ottery East, Otyhouse Estate, Turf Hall Estate, and Wetton. It’s situated about 20 km from central Cape Town.

History of Ottery

Ottery’s origins trace back to the early 1900s, when a formerly private rail line became accessible to the public, spurring development in the area. Its name comes from an otter sanctuary that operated there before closing as the suburb expanded.

Demographics

Ottery’s residents are mostly Coloured (72%), with smaller shares identifying as White (8%), Black African (6.9%), Asian (3.9%), and Other (9.2%). English is the most common first language (82.5%), followed by Afrikaans (12.8%), Xhosa (2.2%), and other languages (2.5%).

Ottery’s Safety Profile

Ottery falls under the Grassy Park SAPS precinct, so crime figures also include Grassy Park, Lotus River, Parkwood, Pelican Park and Zeekoevlei.

The latest full-year figures available are for April 2025 to March 2026.

Crime measure	Grassy Park precinct
Total reported crimes	5,982
Murder	58
Violent crime	1,304
Property crime	550
Drug-related crime	2,222
Theft not otherwise specified	790
Common assault	591
Malicious damage to property	401
Aggravated robbery	301
Theft from motor vehicles	230
Residential burglary	218

Ottery is a moderate-to-high crime area rather than a particularly safe Cape Town suburb.

The data doesn’t suggest that Ottery is among Cape Town’s absolute worst crime hotspots, but the wider Grassy Park precinct has a substantial crime burden. SafeSuburb places its 5,982 annual reported crimes in the “Very High” crime-volume category for the Western Cape. Its total crime count is also 268% above the provincial median, while contact crime is 218% above the provincial median.

There is an important caveat: one shouldn’t interpret all 5,982 crimes as crimes occurring in Ottery itself. Grassy Park is a relatively large precinct serving several suburbs. That makes the precinct statistics useful for understanding the security environment around Ottery, but not for calculating an accurate “Ottery crime rate”.

Accessibility and Roadways 

Ottery’s accessibility is one of its strongest features. Situated on the eastern side of the M5, the area connects easily via Ottery Road to the south and Wetton Road to the north. The M5 then links straight to the N1 and N2, providing swift access to and from the city centre. The N2 connection also brings Cape Town International Airport within just 18 kilometres.

Public Transport in Ottery

Train Service

Ottery is served by the nearby Metrorail Ottery Station, offering a direct rail link between Heathfield and the Cape Town CBD via Athlone. Along the way, trains stop at Wetton, Lansdowne, Crawford, Athlone, Hazendal, Pinelands, Ndabeni, Maitland, Koeberg Road, Salt River, and Woodstock before terminating in Cape Town.

Bus Service

Golden Arrow buses also pass through the area, forming part of the route connecting Wynberg to Khayelitsha.

Minibus Taxis

Minibus taxis run along Ottery Road, linking the suburb to Wynberg, Lotus River, and Mitchells Plain. Commuters can catch taxis to and from Wynberg, as well as to and from Lotus River, directly through Ottery.

Houses for sale in Ottery

The north-eastern section of Ottery is dominated by detached family homes. Moving toward the center of the suburb, the housing mix continues, but a substantial vlei (marshland) breaks up the built environment. This wetland remains undeveloped and accounts for roughly a quarter of Ottery’s total land area. Facing the vlei, government-subsidized apartment blocks provide a more modern housing option. Overall, detached houses remain the dominant property type across Ottery’s residential areas, though a number of low-rise apartment complexes are also scattered throughout.

Ottery falls into the lower-middle-income bracket among Cape Town suburbs. Property24 data puts the average asking price for homes in the area at R1.6 million as of 2026.

If you’re looking to buy property in Ottery, the suburb is best approached pocket by pocket rather than as one uniform market. The better choice depends on whether the priority is a family home, rental income, capital growth or a lower entry price.

1. Ferness Estate

Ferness Estate is one of the stronger areas to consider for a family home and long-term ownership.

Properties here tend to include larger houses, established gardens, garages and bigger erven than many of the apartment complexes elsewhere in Ottery. Recent listings have included homes in the R2.5 million to R3 million range, although individual properties vary considerably.

What makes it attractive:

• Established residential environment
• Larger homes and plots
• Good appeal for family buyers
• Potential for dual-living properties
• Better resale prospects than many smaller apartments

A well-priced 3-bedroom house with a decent erf and additional accommodation could be particularly attractive.

2. Ascot Park and Ascot Village

Ascot Park and Ascot Village are also worth serious consideration, particularly for buyers wanting secure residential living.

The area contains a mixture of houses and secure developments, with properties often appealing to families and buyers looking for a more contained residential environment.

The key here is to compare individual properties carefully. A well-maintained home in a good position can make more sense than simply choosing the cheapest available property.

3. Established residential streets in Ottery

Some of the best opportunities may not be associated with a particular development at all.

The established residential streets throughout Ottery can contain older houses on relatively large plots, sometimes with garages, extensions, granny flats or separate entrances.

This creates an interesting opportunity for buyers looking for value.

A property around R2 million to R2.3 million with:

• 3 bedrooms
• A large erf
• Garage
• Secure parking
• Separate entrance
• Potential rental accommodation

could potentially be more attractive from an investment perspective than a smaller apartment costing around R1 million.

4. Ottery East

Ottery East becomes more relevant when the budget is closer to R900,000 to R1.5 million.

The area has several apartment and townhouse developments, creating a lower entry point into the Ottery property market.

This makes it worth considering for:

• First-time buyers
• Buy-to-let investors
• Buyers who prefer lower maintenance
• Buyers who cannot stretch to a freestanding house

The trade-off is that smaller sectional-title properties generally provide less land and may have lower long-term upside than a well-positioned freestanding house.

5. Secure apartment complexes

For an investment-focused buyer, individual complexes can be worth investigating rather than dismissing apartments altogether.

Properties around R850,000 to R1.1 million can provide a relatively accessible entry point, particularly where there is consistent rental demand.

However, the levy, rental income, vacancy rate, condition of the complex and body corporate finances need to be assessed before buying.

Areas to prioritise

Area	Potential	Best suited to
Ferness Estate	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Family homes, long-term ownership
Ascot Park / Ascot Village	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Families, resale
Established Ottery streets	⭐⭐⭐⭐½	Value and capital growth
Ottery East	⭐⭐⭐⭐	First-time buyers, rentals
Secure apartment complexes	⭐⭐⭐½	Lower-budget investment

Rather than simply searching for the cheapest property in Ottery, the strongest opportunity may be an underpriced freestanding house in one of the better residential pockets.

For example, a 3-bedroom house on a 450m²-600m² erf with a garage and separate rental accommodation could offer considerably more potential than a similarly priced apartment.

The exact street remains important. Crime levels, surrounding properties, traffic, proximity to industrial areas, flooding history, parking, security and recent actual sale prices should all be considered before making an offer.

For a specific budget, the search can be narrowed further. For example, R1 million, R1.5 million, R2 million or R2.5 million will produce very different opportunities within Ottery.

Shops and Businesses in Ottery

Business	Address	Contact number	Operating hours
Cash Converters Ottery	Unit 26 & 27, Ottery Value Centre, Ottery Road, Ottery, 7808	087 094 1675	Mon-Fri: 09:00-18:00; Sat: 09:00-17:00; Sun: 09:00-14:00
Dis-Chem Ottery Centre Pharmacy	Shop 27-31, Ottery Shopping Centre, New Ottery Road, Ottery, 7800	021 541 0661	Mon-Fri: 08:00-18:00; Sat: 08:00-17:00; Sun: 09:00-16:00
JUMBO Ottery	Old Ottery Road / Heinz Road, Ottery, 7808	021 763 7400	Mon-Fri: 08:00-17:00; Sat: 08:00-15:00; Sun: 08:00-13:00
Soundtech: Ottery	Shop L43, Ottery Centre, Ottery Road, Ottery, 7800	021 703 1509	Mon-Thu: 09:00-18:00; Fri: 09:00-12:30 & 14:00-18:00; Sat: 08:30-17:00; Sun: 09:00-14:00
Twin Peak Spur	Woodlands Road, Ottery, Cape Town	021 703 0019	Sun-Thu: 08:00-22:00; Fri-Sat: 08:00-23:00
Hungry Lion Ottery	Shop 13, Lansdowne Corner Shopping Centre, Govan Mbeki Road, Hanover Park, Ottery, 7782	021 703 6563	Mon-Thu: 09:00-20:00; Fri: 09:00-20:00; Sat: 09:00-19:00; Sun: 09:00-17:00
KWIKSPAR Ottery	62 Old Strandfontein Road, Wetton, Cape Town, 7780	021 704 0109	Mon-Thu: 07:30-20:00; Fri: 07:30-12:30 & 13:30-20:00; Sat: 07:30-20:00; Sun: 08:00-20:00
PostNet Ottery	Unit 16, Phase II, Ottery Value Centre, Ottery Road, Ottery, 7808	067 005 1956	Mon-Fri: 08:00-17:00; Sat: 09:00-12:00; Sun & public holidays: Closed
KFC Ottery Sasol	Cnr New Ottery Road and Ottery Road, Ottery, 7808	021 703 0223	24 hours daily according to the current business listing
Makro	385 Ottery Road, Ottery, Cape Town, 7808	021 704 7400	Mon-Fri: 09:00-18:00; Sat: 09:00-17:00; Sun: 09:00-14:00
Pick n Pay Hypermarket Ottery	New Ottery Road, Ottery, 7800	021 704 7600	Mon-Fri: 09:00-21:00; Sat: 08:00-18:00; Sun: 09:00-17:00 (Guzzle)

*Trading hours are subject to change. Contact businesses directly to confirm hours, especially on public holidays.

Education 

Primary and junior schools

• Battswood Oefen NGK Primary
• Ferndale Primary School
• Hyde Park Primary School
• Junior College
• Otters’ Creek Junior School

Secondary schools

• Gateway High School
• The Oracle Academy
• Simon Estes Music High School

Combined / independent schools

• Christel House South Africa

Early childhood / pre-primary

• Otters’ Creek Pre-Primary School
• Peak Child Melville
• Starlight Nursery School
• Kingdom Kidz Educare Academy

Religion

Churches in Ottery

• Desire of All Nations Christian Church – Ottery Value Centre, Ottery Road
• Good Hope Christian Centre Ottery – Plantation Road, Ferness
• Unlimited Ministries Ottery – Merwe Street
• New Faith Church Ottery – Hector Avenue
• Ottery Baptist Church – Plantation Road, Ferness
• New Apostolic Church Ottery – Lodge Road, Ferness
• Destiny Fellowship Church – Bamboesvlei Road
• Revival Church (Ottery) – Essenhout Street, Ferness Estate
• Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk – Ottery – Essenhout Street
• St Timothy’s Church – Muller Road, Ottery/Wetton
• Old Apostolic Church, Ottery – Lea Road, Ferness
• Catholic community in Ottery – Enslin Road/Sauer Street

Mosques in Ottery

• Masjidul Ummah – Corner of Marius Road and Hector Avenue, Ottery.
• Masjidul Fatgh – Shaftesbury Road / Old Strandfontein Road, Ottery. It is also known as Ottery Islamic Society.
• Ahlul Bait Mosque Complex – 4 De Wet Road, Ottery. This is a Shia mosque and Islamic centre and was opened as a mosque in 2017.
• Islamic Society Ferness Ottery (ISFO) – 50 Ailsa Road, Ferness Estate, Ottery. ISFO currently facilitates congregational prayers and other Islamic activities.
• Dár Ahlil Qurán – Corner of Shaftesbury and Old Strandfontein Road, Ottery.

Ottery Traffic Department

The New Ottery Driving Licence Testing Centre is located at the corner of Old Strandfontein Road and New Ottery Road in Ottery, Cape Town. You can contact them via the City of Cape Town general enquiries line at 0860 103 089 or email traffic.services@capetown.gov.za.

Location and Contact

Address: Cnr Old Strandfontein & New Ottery Roads, Ottery, Cape Town

Phone: 0860 103 089Email: traffic.services@capetown.gov.za

Operating Hours

Monday to Friday: 08:00 – 15:30

Saturday: 08:00 – 12:30 (services can be limited, e.g., card collections or specific bookings)

Sunday: Closed

Available Services

• Licence renewals
• Driving licence tests
• Learner’s licence tests
• Professional driving permit (PrDP) applications
• Licence replacements and disabled disc applications

Recreation

Ottery has a reasonable range of recreational facilities, particularly parks, sports grounds, community facilities and places for organised activities.

• Stephanian Ottery AFC – a multi-sport facility in Ferness used for football and baseball. The club describes its ground as a multi-sport facility.
• Elm Street Sport Ground – a City of Cape Town sports ground on Elm Street, off De Wet Road.
• Bruce Road Recreation Centre – provides activity rooms, committee rooms and other community recreation facilities. It is listed by the City as an Ottery recreation facility.
• De Wet Road Community Hall – available for community and club activities and bookings.
• Ottery Youth Centre – a youth-focused community facility on Plantation Road.
• Ottery Field – an outdoor park/open space in Ottery.
• Greenfield Circle Park – a neighbourhood park.
• Ferness Park – a park serving the Ferness section of Ottery.
• Adamastor Park – another local open-space facility.
• Cavalry Crescent Park – a small park in Ottery East.
• Cues – a pool/billiards club on Hillstar Avenue.

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