Rondebosch and Mowbray: A Tale of Two Suburbs Shaping Cape Town’s History and Culture

Rondebosch and Mowbray, two neighbouring suburbs in Cape Town, have a rich and fascinating history that has helped shape the city into what it is today. Rondebosch is situated on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain and is one of the oldest suburbs in Cape Town.

Mowbray, located to the north of Rondebosch, was originally part of a farm called “Pennywich” and was named after a village in North Yorkshire, England.

Originally known as “Het Ronde Doornbosjen,” Rondebosch was named after the indigenous vegetation of the area, a type of round thorn bush. In 1657, Jan van Riebeeck, the founder of Cape Town, granted a large area of land to a Dutch farmer named Pieter van der Byl, and the land that is now Rondebosch was part of this grant. The area was primarily used for farming during the 18th and 19th centuries.

The British colonial authorities started developing Rondebosch as a residential suburb for the wealthy in the early 1800s. They saw it as a place of refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Many grand houses were built in the area, and it became a fashionable place to live. Over time, the area became more accessible and affordable, and middle-class families began to move in.

In the late 1800s, the railway was extended to Mowbray, and it became more accessible to people from the city. Like Rondebosch, Mowbray was developed as a residential suburb, and many of the grand houses built in the area were used as summer residences for wealthy people from Cape Town. By the early 1900s, Mowbray had become a fully established suburb, and its streets were lined with trees and flowers.

Rondebosch and Mowbray played an essential role in the history of Cape Town. Rondebosch was the birthplace of several famous South Africans, including the Nobel laureate J.M. Coetzee and former President F.W. de Klerk. The University of Cape Town, one of the top universities in Africa, is also located in Rondebosch adding to the area’s prestige. The area has a rich cultural heritage, with many historic buildings and landmarks, including the Dutch Reformed Church in Rondebosch, which was built in 1841.

Mowbray is home to the Mowbray Golf Course, one of the oldest golf courses in South Africa. The golf course was established in 1910, and it has been an essential part of the Mowbray community ever since. The golf course is well-known for its beautiful scenery and challenging greens.

Today, Rondebosch and Mowbray are both popular suburbs for families and young professionals. They are well connected to the city centre and offer a relaxed, suburban lifestyle. Rondebosch and Mowbray are also home to smaller shopping hubs and are popular shopping, dining, and entertainment destinations for residents and visitors alike. Stay tuned to learn more about one of Rondebosch’s landmarks in our next blog post.

In summary, Rondebosch and Mowbray are two of Cape Town’s oldest and most prestigious suburbs. Their history is intertwined with that of the city, and they have played an essential role in shaping the Cape Town that we know today. From their origins as farming communities to their development as residential areas, these suburbs have a rich and fascinating history that continues to be celebrated and remembered by the people who live there.

John Bielich

Portfolio: Marketing

John has many years experience in the property industry, involved in viability studies and the marketing of commercial property development and execution of projects. His responsibilities as part of the asset management team are for property performance, portfolio upgrades and redevelopments, as well as new property development initiatives. 

Ielhaam Abrahams

Portfolio: Social

Ielhaam Abrahams of Growthpoint Properties Regional Office – Cape Town

Been in the property management industry for 22 years.  

Joined Growthpoint in 2012 and currently a Portfolio Manager.

Board member of the Women’s Property Network since 2019.

Serves as a Trustee on various Commercial Body Corporates.

Passionate about youth development specifically in the sporting community.


Emmanuel Wope

Portfolio: Cleansing

Fluent in English and French, Manu is an accomplished and serial entrepreneur, creative and hands-on strategist, successful trailblazer intrapreneur with over 30 years operational involvement in the international business at various capacities across Africa. Manu is a seasoned property entrepreneur and investor with several projects completed or planned in the greater Cape Town area.

Manu has served as Vice President of the Cape Town Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry (the largest in South Africa) with over 2800 corporate members. Manu is a board member of the Groote Schuur CID and a director of the Voidcon group and Elsma Holdings. Manu currently sits on the Rosebank and Mowbray Civic Association (RMCA) executive committee.

Manu holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University New York, a Master of Science from the French Petroleum Institute–IFP- Paris and a MSc Engineering from Cameroon Polytechnic School of Engineering.

Peter Makgoba

Portfolio: Finance, Vice Chairman

Peter Shai Makgoba holds a Master’s Degree in Public Governance and Management and is currently Director: Risk Compliance and Relationship Management the University of Cape Town (UCT) where he is responsible for the Fees Office, Risk and Relationship Management.

Part of his responsibilities include managing Fees Office, risks to the University, its employees, customers, reputation, assets and the interests of stakeholders by identifying and managing all threats to the achievement of its objectives.

In addition, Peter is responsible for governance and oversight of all earmarked grants, liaison with some funders and ensuring compliance with their requirements, as well as fostering and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders. At UCT, Shai is part of the Risk Management Committee, Audit Committee, Finance Committee, Joint Investment Committee, Student Financial Aid Committee and Skills Development Committee.

Prior to joining the University of Cape Town, Peter was Chief Director at the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) where his responsibilities encompassed amongst others, working with universities and other stakeholders within the higher education sector, managing the review of the funding framework, developing or revising financial policies and instruments for earmarked grants for universities, and overseeing the analysis and the publication of information on the resourcing of the university system.

Jonathan Hobday

Portfolio: Environmental Upgrade

Roland September

Portfolio: Security

Roland September took office as risk services manager in January, succeeding John Tunstall, who retired at the end of 2009.

Prior to his appointment, September had been traffic manager at UCT since 1999.

Among other gigs, he also did some security work in laidback New Zealand for Group Four Security, where he was security advisor at some big-name events, his first being a concert that double-headlined Billy Joel and Elton John.


Gregg Huntingford

Portfolio: Finance, Chairman

CEO of Spire Properties

BA (ECON) (Willam and Mary, Usa), LLB, MBA (UCT)

Gregg started his work career as a lawyer, then moved to the property industry. Having worked in the listed sector for one of the largest listed funds, as well having managed private client portfolios, he has a wide experience in the portfolio and asset management arena.

He has managed a successful commercial division for a number of years within the listed property sector. He has been involved in developments, sales and acquisitions and has a wealth of experience in letting commercial property, and is well known to the brokering community.

Gregg serves and has served as a Trustee on several Boards, in the sectional title and improvement district spheres. He is passionate about the property sector and views it as a major engine for growth in the economy.

Vernon Van Wyk: Contract Supervisor

Vernon has been employed by the GSCID as a Contract Supervisor for about three years. He has years of previous security experience in surveillance and supervision and stands him in good stead in his current role within the operations sector of the GSCID.

He enjoys the opportunity the position brings to meet an array of people and to help uplift the community. He is always hands on working in the field with our partners and various law enforcement agencies. He is seen as a role model and a brilliant educator.

Ivor Manuel: Cleaning Manager

Ivor has previously worked as a contract supervisor for the GSCID. He has been the Cleaning Manager for about 2 years.

He works passionately alongside his cleansing team within our boundary which includes and is not limited to; weeding, channel cleaning, removing graffiti, picking up dirt and drain cleaning. He goes above and beyond to ensure the area is looking clean.

Nicole Sylvester – Receptionist

Nicole Sylvester has recently started working for GSCID.

 “I am a self-starter with strong interpersonal skills. I work efficiently both as an individual contributor as well as along with a team. I seek new challenges and try to think out of the box while looking for creative solutions to a given problem. In my free time I love hiking and being out in nature, I also prefer spending my weekends exploring new things.

At GSCID I have found to work with people who are very family-orientated, there is always joy within the office and always a helping hand. Since I have started, I was made to feel comfortable and welcomed, I never felt out of place and still feel like I have been part of the team for many years”.

Bronwin Benting : Office Administrator

Bronwin has been working in the security division of the GSCID for a year and two months where she was exposed to all the other departments of the GSCID. During this time, she has become enthralled by the work and objectives of the CID.

“I have always loved helping others and when I started working here, it gave me such a great purpose. I always start the day with a smile on my dial, every day is a different day as thus far I have learnt so much by just being around everyone at GSCID. I look forward to starting my new journey in assisting the General Manager Barbara Breedt, I believe I can only do my best in trying to allow for things to run smoothly”.

Ingrid Frieslaar: Social Outreach Manager

Ingrid has been with the GSCID since 21st September 2010, Ingrid has worked in Claremont and Wynberg previously. She has always been willing to help any person whenever she is able to, no obstacle has ever held her back from interacting with anyone in the field.

She initiates and manages the homeless in the GSCID Boundary to assist the GSCID Cleaning team. She has vast set of skills as a field worker, she has a open door policy not only for her homeless clients but Chrysalis interns too. She has built many wonderful relationships with so many organisations, thus allowing her to assist anyone who needs help rapidly.

Barbara Breedt: General Manager

Barbara Breedt has been GSCID General Manager Since July 2019. Ms Breedt previously held the post of Station Commander at Rondebosch SAPS for four years.

She has 32 years of policing experience with extensive knowledge of security and operational management matters, as well as crime prevention.

Ms Breedt believes that her experience will enable her to always offer support and add value to the GSCID’s short- and long-term strategies.

Dr Max Price’s call to the community

 

“At the heart of UCT’s mission is the desire to contribute significantly to society through high quality research, inspired teaching and learning and the development of outstanding graduates, underpinning global efforts to understand our natural and social worlds. We also want to contribute directly to local communities through the education we offer to their children, as a significant employer and through social outreach activities. To achieve our mission, there is a critical need for a vibrant engagement between ‘town and gown.’

The University of Cape Town’s teaching and research facilities cover a significant footprint within this community. Our staff and students live here and contribute in diverse ways to the economy of this area. While UCT brings great value to the areas surrounding the university, we acknowledge that we also contribute to some of the challenges. UCT, with our neighbours, face issues of crime, grime, transport, housing and so on.

Our role and responsibility within the local community require meaningful dialogue between the university and our external stakeholders. It also demands credible partnerships which recognise our interlinking and, occasionally, divergent sets of interests. It is this need – and serious intent – to forge a new social compact with local businesses, property owners and residents, that has brought UCT into the partnership with the Groote Schuur Community Improvement District (GSCID).

We want to be a good corporate neighbour and encourage our students to be good citizens of this area. We want to contribute towards a precinct which is safer, cleaner and more enjoyable for residents, businesses and visitors alike. We want to facilitate urban renewal along the Main Road business districts through appropriate re-development opportunities. These approaches will affirm UCT’s objective to be a world-class university – the premier academic meeting point between Africa and the world.

We look forward to partnering with you in the GSCID.”