A Newcomer’s Guide to Belhar

Belhar sits in Cape Town’s northern suburbs, bordered by Bellville, Elsies River, Delft, and Kuils River. About 90% of the community identifies as Coloured, with smaller groups of Black African (5%) and Indian/Asian (1%) residents. Afrikaans is the language of home, spoken by 64% of residents, and English fills in the gaps with 31% of speakers. The suburb is divided into extensions 1 to 23. People here know the area—its streets, schools, and corners—because they’ve been around.

 

Transport in and out of Belhar

 

Belhar is accessed by four major transport routes: the M12, the R300 (Kuils River Road), and the M29. Living in Belhar means you’re not far from anything. Whether you travel by car, train, or bus, the routes are already in place. The N2 gives drivers quick access to the city and surrounds, and the Cape Flats railway line runs right through. There’s also regular public transport for those heading into town or across the metro.

 

Belhar Gardens

 

The Belhar Gardens development achieved recognition from the Green Building Council of South Africa for its water and energy-saving design, a first for affordable housing in the country. 

 

Completed in August 2017, the 630-unit project features bachelor, one, and two-bedroom homes. It received an EDGE preliminary grading for design excellence in greater efficiencies and anticipates full certification soon. 

 

The development incorporates water flow restrictors, meters, and heat pump stations, resulting in approximately 30% less water and energy usage compared to conventional designs. This green approach aims to lower utility costs for residents and supports broader water conservation efforts.

 

 

The Belhar Confession

 

Apartheid pushed the church in South Africa to a point where it had to decide—either protect the system or speak out. In 1982, the Dutch Reformed Mission Church took a stand. They wrote what became the Belhar Confession, as a firm theological response to a crisis.

 

Racism, they said, was not a mistake—it was sin and a direct threat to the Christian faith. By 1986, the Belhar Confession became a formal part of the church’s identity and later shaped the foundation of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa. 

 

It continues to challenge the church—not only in South Africa but far beyond. It speaks directly to three things churches everywhere wrestle with: how to be united, how to repair what’s broken, and how to live out justice in public and not only in prayer.

 

The Belhar Community Centre

This is the spot where locals come when something’s worth gathering for. Belhar Civic Centre has seen people dressed up for weddings, kids running around during birthdays, and plenty of chairs pushed into rows for community meetings.

 

Belhar Indoor Sports Centre 

The space is built for sports participants who don’t wait for the weather to clear. Athletes keep moving through every season, whether they play indoor soccer, dance competitively, or wheel onto the court for rugby or basketball. The centre has hosted national and international tournaments—and when it’s not sport, it’s packed with weddings, parties and year-end events. Tables come out, sound checks happen, guests arrive. This is a venue with space to move and room for the community to do what matters.

 

Belhar Youth Development Forum

 

Aunty Cathy saw a need in her neighbourhood and took action. She started the Belhar Youth Development Forum in Extension 13 to give kids a space where they can learn, create and grow. Whether it’s help with schoolwork, getting into reading, or making something with their hands, the focus is on building confidence and keeping them engaged in something positive.

 

Lately, the Forum has started a youth garden—a small but powerful project aimed at teaching kids how to grow their own food while learning to work together. It’s something practical that might even help fill a few stomachs during tough months.

 

Everything runs on goodwill. There’s no formal funding, just the generosity of sponsors and the people running it. But the heart behind it all? That’s what really keeps it going.

 

University of Western Cape 

Three minutes away from Belhar, the University of the Western Cape sits in Bellville with over sixty years of history behind it. It grew out of a specific time and place and hasn’t forgotten what that means. It holds space for thought, debate, and progress, without letting go of the values that gave it direction in the first place. Its commitment to teaching and research doesn’t float above real life—it’s connected to the people and public it serves.

 

Crime 

Belhar, like many places across the Cape Flats, lives with the daily weight of crime. These crime figures from 2022 offer a glimpse into the reality people here are dealing with.

 

Local Businesses

 

• Airport Shopping Centre 
• Shoprite
• USave 
• Spar
• The Crazy Store
• Roots Butchery
• OK Furniture
• Park City Cash & Carry
• Civic Supermarket & Hardware
• Ackermans
• Bel-Kem Pharmacy

 

Schools

 

• Belhar High School (also referred to as Belhar Secondary School)
• Excelsior High School
• Belhar Primary School
• Belhar Islamic Primary School
• Erica Primary School
• Accordion Street Primary School
• Dr. Van Der Ross Primary School
• Symphony Primary School
• Belvue Primary School
• Gardenia Primary School
• Matroosbergweg Primary School
• Riebeeckstraat Primary School

 

Accommodation

 

• Belhar Vista
• Bel-Hoorn Guest House

 

Notable People 

• Robyn Pretorius – artist 
• Dillon Windvogel – actor
• Tasneem Waggie – TikTok foodie
• Kim Engelbrecht – actress

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