Goodbye Cape Town – another reverse semigration wave hitting South Africa
Rising property prices in Cape Town and the changing perceptions of Johannesburg have pushed a wave of South Africans looking to move back to Gauteng.
This is the feedback from Chante Venter, co-founder and CEO of moving company Wise Move, who said South Africa is seeing a shift in migration patterns, with an increasing number of households moving from the Western Cape to Gauteng.
While Cape Town remains a popular destination for people leaving Gauteng, the number of households moving in the opposite direction is growing.
Wise Move recorded 560 household moves from the Western Cape to Gauteng in 2025, up from 353 in 2024. This represents an increase of almost 60% in a year.
Venter said the trend has continued into 2026, with the company having recorded a further increase in moves between the two provinces.
“In the last month, year-on-year, there has been another massive increase of 40% between the two provinces,” she said.
“While the return route from Gauteng to Cape Town is popular and generally has higher numbers, it has stagnated. It’s not increasing,” she said.
“It’s the same number of people moving from Gauteng, whereas that interest in Gauteng and other provinces is where the increase is happening.”
Venter said the growing interest in Gauteng reflects a change in how people view Johannesburg and the opportunities it offers.
Property prices are one of the factors influencing these decisions. Residential property prices in Cape Town increased by 12% in the year to June, compared with 4.9% in Johannesburg.
This gap has implications for households deciding where to buy or rent, particularly those who already own property in the Western Cape.
Venter said people selling their homes in Cape Town and relocating to Gauteng can potentially unlock additional money because of the difference in property prices.
“If you are selling from Cape Town and you’re moving to Gauteng, you are instantly making money off your property, which means you have more to spend in Gauteng,” she said.
Where South Africans are moving to
This is reflected in Wise Move’s own data, which shows that nearly four in 10 households that relocated from the Western Cape to Gauteng moved into larger homes.
The lower property prices in Gauteng give these households more room to purchase additional space, such as another bedroom, bathroom or garage, without necessarily increasing their overall housing expenditure.
“There are also more work opportunities. There is a very good lifestyle,” she said.
She added that some households are also reassessing where they want to spend the next few years of their lives, with changing perceptions of Johannesburg contributing to the growing interest.
Venter noted that Wise Move saw a significant month-on-month increase in moves to Gauteng around the election period.
While she cautioned against directly attributing the increase to the elections or political campaigns, she said something during that period appeared to encourage more people to consider relocating.
The areas attracting the most interest from Western Cape households are largely concentrated around Johannesburg’s northern suburbs.
Sandton, Randburg, Bryanston, Lonehill, Sunninghill, Ferndale, and Morningside are among the most popular destinations.
According to Venter, these locations reflect households’ priorities when choosing where to settle, including security, employment opportunities, schools, amenities and a sense of community.
Pretoria, particularly Centurion, is another popular destination for people relocating from the Western Cape.
Other areas attracting interest include Roodepoort and Midrand, where new residential developments are offering buyers more than just a house, with an emphasis on community facilities and lifestyle.
Venter noted that affordability was the biggest factor, with many people in Cape Town unable to afford homes as rising property prices kept homeownership out of reach for a large portion of the population.
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