{"id":814446,"date":"2025-03-02T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-02T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=814446"},"modified":"2025-02-28T14:26:02","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T12:26:02","slug":"goodbye-cape-town-reverse-semigration-trend-hitting-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/lifestyle\/814446\/goodbye-cape-town-reverse-semigration-trend-hitting-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"Goodbye Cape Town \u2013 reverse semigration trend hitting South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Some property experts have noted a reverse semigration trend of working South Africans moving back to Johannesburg due to return-to-office culture, work opportunities, and cost of living. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent years, the Western Cape has become a popular destination for those seeking a change of pace, scenery, and a sense of supposed stability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cape Town, the Winelands, and the Garden Route have attracted professionals, families, and retirees looking for a new lifestyle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the tide is shifting as a growing number of these semigrants are making their way back to Johannesburg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to property group Fine & Country, one of the main reasons behind this reversal is the return-to-office culture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile remote work surged during the pandemic, many companies are now moving towards hybrid or in-office work models,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a survey by CareerJunction, nearly 60% of South African employers are adopting these changes, and many of the country\u2019s largest firms are headquartered in Johannesburg. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, the property group added that professionals are realising that career progression and high-level networking are still centred in the city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor many professionals, being close to head offices and leadership teams is essential for career growth. Johannesburg continues to be the hub for corporate decision-making,\u201d explained John Herbst, CEO of Fine & Country Sub-Saharan Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johannesburg\u2019s status as South Africa\u2019s economic powerhouse is another significant factor influencing the reverse semigration trend, with many searching for better opportunities.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to data from Stats SA, Johannesburg contributes nearly 16% of the country\u2019s GDP and accounts for over 40% of all business services output.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herbst highlighted that Sandton, in particular, remains a key commercial hub, housing the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and many of Africa\u2019s largest corporations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe city has an undeniable economic momentum, and people are recognising that the most lucrative business opportunities remain here,\u201d said Herbst. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are seeing renewed interest from professionals and business owners who are recalibrating their long-term strategies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
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CEO of Fine & Country Sub-Saharan Africa<\/em>, John Herbst<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The cost of living is also playing a crucial role in this shift. Property prices in Cape Town, especially in popular areas, have continued to rise sharply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lightstone data shows that property prices in Cape Town have surged by nearly 25% over the past five years, compared to Johannesburg\u2019s 12% growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, many are finding it increasingly difficult to afford the lifestyle they desire in the Western Cape. In contrast, Johannesburg offers more space and value for money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBuyers are realising they can get larger properties with better amenities in Johannesburg for the same price they\u2019d pay for a smaller home in Cape Town\u2019s prime areas,\u201d said Herbst. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, he added that infrastructure and service delivery considerations are also influencing decisions to move. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“While Cape Town is often praised for its municipal governance, challenges such as load shedding, water supply issues, and transport difficulties remain national concerns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Some semigrants have found that relocating did not necessarily shield them from these systemic issues,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herbst highlighted that the growing demand for homes in Johannesburg has positively impacted the local property market, particularly in well-established suburbs, secure estates, and areas close to business hubs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Herbst, Johannesburg\u2019s residential market is showing resilience. We are seeing strong demand in secure lifestyle estates and high-end suburbs that offer space, security, and proximity to top schools and business districts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Areas like Sandton, Bryanston, Fourways, and Midrand are gaining traction as they provide modern amenities and easy access to commercial nodes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herbst noted that Fourways has transformed into a bustling business and lifestyle hub, thanks to the Fourways Mall redevelopment and the surrounding commercial growth\u2014 making it an attractive choice for professionals returning to the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJohannesburg\u2019s unique blend of business opportunities, lifestyle options, and property value is drawing people back. It remains the city where careers are made, and futures are built,\u201d said Herbst. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As work trends shift in South Africa, property experts are noticing a return of people to the country’s economic hub. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":797450,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9876],"tags":[2279,20239,853],"class_list":["post-814446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-cape-town","tag-fine-country-sub-saharan-africa","tag-south-africa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/814446","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/92"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=814446"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/814446\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":814487,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/814446\/revisions\/814487"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/797450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=814446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=814446"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=814446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}