South Africans rush to buy homes in R15 billion ‘smart’ city in KwaZulu-Natal

·5 Apr 2026

South Africans are rushing to buy into a new residential estate in KwaZulu-Natal’s fast-growing Westown smart city, with more than half of the homes snapped up within hours of launch.

Kaleido, a new development in Shongweni’s Upper Highway region, sold 65 homes on its launch day, with more than half of the available units gone in just three hours.

According to those behind the project, it is the first residential development in the area in nearly eight years to achieve that level of day-one demand.

The estate forms part of the wider Westown mixed-use precinct, a major R15 billion smart city development taking shape just off the N3 highway on what was once sugarcane farmland.

The development is being led by Durban-based Fundamentum Property Group through the Fundamentum Development Company and is designed to bring together living, working, shopping and leisure in a single integrated urban node.

Westown Square has quickly become a key retail, dining, and entertainment destination for KwaZulu-Natal’s Outer West. However, heresidential development is now becoming a major part of the precinct’s next phase.

According to Stefan Botha, Director of Rainmaker Marketing, the strong response to Kaleido reflects growing confidence in the Upper Highway property market.

“These strong early sales highlight continued activity and growing confidence in the Hillcrest and Upper Highway property market,” he said.

“The area has seen steady development over the past decade as infrastructure investment, retail expansion and mixed-use projects reshape the area’s growth trajectory.”

Kaleido has been designed around a modern way of living, where residents are within walking distance of daily essentials and lifestyle amenities.

Buyers in the estate will be close to shops, restaurants, cafés, services, and open public spaces, all within the precinct.

Botha said that this aligns with the increasingly popular “15-minute neighbourhood” concept, which has gained traction globally in recent years, especially after the pandemic, as more people seek convenience, accessibility and reduced reliance on cars.

‘15-minute neighbourhood’ concept

However, Jan Jansen van Vuuren, Development Manager for Westown and Kaleido, said Westown has gone a step further.

“Within the Westown environment, the ‘15-minute neighbourhood’ concept is even more condensed with the residential component located at the centre of the precinct,” he said.

“We purposefully curated this to allow residents to enjoy the many daily activities available to them within just a five-minute walk from home.”

“We have seen a growing shift toward more integrated, walkable environments, and that’s why we believe the Kaleido offering has already achieved such interest just on launch day.”

Another factor driving sales was the use of technology during the launch. Prospective buyers could monitor live unit availability, compare prices, and reserve homes online in real time through a hybrid digital platform.

“While physical property launches remain important for engagement and site experience, digital tools are increasingly being used to streamline the purchasing journey and allow buyers to act more quickly when opportunities arise,” he said.

“The ability to reserve units online effectively placed the buying process directly in the hands of prospective purchasers, allowing them to participate in the launch from anywhere.”

Construction across the broader Westown precinct has also accelerated in recent months.

This includes completed earthworks for the West Private Hospital and Balwin’s 1,260-unit Shongweni Eco Park, as well as service connections for both projects.

The long-term plan is for Westown to become a fully-fledged smart city precinct, generating more than 23,000 jobs over the next 10 to 15 years while reshaping the Hillcrest-Shongweni corridor west of Durban.