The Khayelitsha Community Trust is all about transparency, accessibility and accountability – Welcome to our website and information portal!

What is the KCT?

The Khayelitsha Community Trust was established by the City of Cape Town in 2003 with the specific purpose of advancing the Khayelitsha Business District through the development of commercial, residential and community facilities.

Due to the collaboration of our trustees, partners, and the public sector, the KCT has already achieved tremendous results in the upliftment of the Khayelitsha community. Some of our operations include the establishment of the Khayelitsha Mall, municipal offices, a filling and service station, a housing development, sports facilities, informal trading zones, roads and other infrastructure, as well as commercial offices.

As the name suggests, the chief objective of the Khayelitsha Community Trust is the general empowerment of the community of Khayelitsha.

What (and where) is Khayelitsha?

Khayelitsha is a semi-informal settlement on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa. Directly translated from Xhosa, the name means “Our new home”.

After Soweto in Gauteng, and Mdanstane in the Eastern Cape, Khayelitsha is said to be the third largest township in South Africa, which was developed in 1983. Extending for a number of kilometres along the N2, Khayelitsha is home to between 500 000 and 1 million people.

Since the ANC took power in 1994, the ruling party claims that living conditions in the township have improved markedly. Indeed, there have been many new developments including brick housing, schools, and the creation of a Central Business District (CBD) in Khayelitsha.

However, many residents strongly dispute the claim that the quality of life has improved. They contend that crime rates remain high, and that only a fraction of the community feels the benefits of infrastructure and welfare interventions.

It is the overarching mission of the Khayelitsha Community Trust to improve the quality of life for everyone in that community.

Feel free to peruse our website, or to contact us directly, for more information about the KCT.