Originally farmland, Wynberg became a garrison town when the British took control of the Cape in 1795. As a convenient half way point between Table Bay and False Bay, the district ultimately became a centre of commercial activity.

Many of the original structures still stand today and Wynberg is in fact home to the highest concentration of historical buildings in South Africa, hence the declaration of Wynberg village as a conservation area in 1981.

“Wynberg has always kept a tight control of its proud heritage, but over the years it became somewhat frayed around the edges, and property values began to slip, but there’s been a massive clean up effort and a resulting renaissance, of which big business is clearly taking note, ” says Mike Greeff, CEO of Greeff Properties. Corporates taking an interest in Wynberg include Home Choice, which is occupying a modern six-storey office block on Main Road and Pick ‘n Pay which has just opened a new state-of-the-art store in the area. Wynberg’s new Riverstone Mall, with easy access, free parking is attracting shoppers with its offering of retail and grooming emporia, including the impressive Wellness@Riverstone, while a new restaurant and tea garden adjacent to Maynardville Park is currently being proposed.

“A large number of business owners are in the process of applying for rezoning rights in Wynberg – we have daily requests for properties from which to run businesses or retail service,” says Debbie Kadé, Wynberg agent for Greeff Properties. Kadé attributes the surge in interest to the efforts of the Wynberg improvement District. “The streets are cleaner and there’s a higher level of security thanks to the presence of a private security company which works closely with the SAP,” she says.

Apart from the natural and thespian delights of Maynardville, which springs to life in late summer with its annual offering of Shakespeare and ballet under the stars, Wynberg’s timeless charm revolves around the old village with its chic boutiques, galleries, decor showrooms, coffee shops and restaurants, including the newly opened Erawan Thai eatery.

Homes in Wynberg vary from one and two-bedroom apartments to Victorian semis and family homes.

“One-bedroom flats are priced from around R530 000, and a three-bedroom heritage house in the heart of the village is for sale at R6.2 million. On average though, family homes with three bedrooms go for between R3.5 to R4.5m,” says Kadé.