Stellenbosch Wants To Ban The Scooters 🛴

Good morning Stellenbosch,

Today's edition contains:

🛴 A scooter debate that has divided the town.
🏘️ A conversation about the future of Idas Valley.
🏡 One of the most extraordinary homes in Stellenbosch.
💰 The terrifying maths required to buy it.
🚗 A public service announcement for exhausted school parents.
💭 And a small thought that might make you look at life's challenges differently.

In other words...

A fairly normal day in Stellenbosch.

Let's get into it.

The future of GoNow's e-scooters in Stellenbosch is looking a little shaky after the municipality issued a suspension notice following safety concerns and reports that two minors were injured while using the scooters. The debate centres around whether the scooters are currently legal to operate on public roads and pavements under existing regulations. GoNow says more than 30,000 people use the service and recorded over 40,000 rides in February alone.

Now look, we're not saying people should be racing through Church Street at Formula 1 speeds while carrying a flat white and texting their friends.

But we are firmly in the "keep the scooters" camp.

Stellenbosch is one of the few towns in South Africa where you can:
• walk almost everywhere
• cycle almost everywhere
• and scooter almost everywhere

The scooters have become part of the town.

They help students get around, reduce short car trips, and let's be honest... they have probably saved many Maties from arriving 17 minutes late to class.

Of course there need to be rules.
Nobody wants to be taken out by a rogue economics student doing 40 km/h outside Eikestad Mall.

But banning them entirely feels a bit like removing bicycles because somebody once rode into a dustbin.

Surely the answer is better enforcement, clearer regulations, speed restrictions and designated parking areas rather than sending the scooters into retirement.

Because if we're being honest, watching groups of students silently glide through town on scooters is still considerably less dangerous than watching some Stellenbosch drivers attempt a four-way stop.

We'll be watching this one closely.

The Stellenbosch Interest Group recently shared concerns about the increasing number of student accommodation and apartment developments being proposed in Idas Valley.

The group argues that neighbourhoods such as De Weides, Soeteweide and Universiteits Oord have changed significantly over the past decade as more family homes were converted into student housing and higher-density developments. They describe the process as "studentification" - a term used internationally when growing student populations begin to reshape the character of established residential communities.

It's a topic that often sparks strong opinions.

On one hand, Stellenbosch continues to attract more students each year and there is an ongoing need for accommodation close to campus.

On the other hand, many long-time residents worry about increased traffic, parking pressure, noise levels and the gradual loss of a neighbourhood's original identity.

As Stellenbosch continues to grow, the challenge will be finding the balance between accommodating a world-class university town and preserving the communities that give different neighbourhoods their unique character.

One thing is certain: conversations about development in Stellenbosch aren't going away anytime soon.

At the same time, development is not inherently a bad thing. New investment can bring upgraded infrastructure, improved public spaces, increased property values, new businesses and much-needed housing in areas close to where people study and work. The real question is not whether Stellenbosch should grow, but how it grows, and whether that growth can happen in a way that benefits both existing residents and future generations.

Every now and then a property comes onto the market that isn't really a house.

It's a piece of Stellenbosch history.

House Stormvogel in Welgelegen has just been listed for R28 million, and even if you're not in the market for a new home, it's worth appreciating what makes this property so special.

Completed in 1961, the house is considered one of South Africa's most remarkable examples of mid-century modern architecture. Its most striking feature is an extraordinary roof structure supported by just two columns, a rare engineering achievement that is believed to be one of only a handful of its kind anywhere in the world.

Set on a 2,091m² erf, the property combines architecture, mountain views and a magnificent botanical garden that has been carefully curated over many years. It's the kind of home that feels less like a building and more like a work of art you happen to live inside.

In a town where older homes are increasingly being renovated, subdivided or replaced, properties like this become even more important. They help tell the story of Stellenbosch and remind us that great architecture deserves to be preserved.

Whoever ends up buying House Stormvogel won't simply be purchasing a home. They'll be becoming the next custodian of a small piece of architectural heritage. And for the sake of Stellenbosch, we hope it ends up in the hands of someone who understands just how special it really is.

If you're considering putting in an offer on the R28 million asking price, we did a quick calculation for you.

Assuming a modest 10% deposit of R2.8 million:

🏦 Monthly bond repayment: R251,591
📋 Once-off costs: R6.38 million
💼 Minimum monthly income required: R838,639

To put that into perspective...

If you earn R838,639 per month, you're probably not reading property listings. You're busy buying vineyards.

The monthly bond repayment alone is roughly:
• 6,310 cappuccinos from Plato
• 1,492 bottles of decent Stellenbosch wine
• or approximately 36,000 packets of NikNaks

The good news is that if you can comfortably afford this house, you'll also be able to afford someone to explain what a hyperbolic paraboloid roof is.

The bad news is that the rest of us will simply have to admire it from Property24.

Have you ever noticed the faces of parents driving away after dropping their kids at school?

Not while they're arriving.

Afterwards.

When they're finally alone in the car.

I was sitting at a traffic light this week and started paying attention.

The expressions were fascinating.

Some looked like they hadn't fully returned from battle.

Others stared straight ahead with the thousand-yard stare of someone who had recently negotiated:
• missing shoes
• a lost water bottle
• a forgotten project
• and a child who suddenly remembered they needed R50 for something as they were pulling out the driveway.

A few looked so exhausted I genuinely considered checking if they were okay.

Not unhappy.

Just... processing.

Like their brains were still buffering.

It's a strange transformation.

Ten minutes earlier they were saying things like:

"Put your jersey on."

"No, your other jersey."

"No, that's your sister's jersey."

"Please stop licking the window."

Then suddenly they're alone.

Silence.

Just them and their thoughts.

And somehow many still drive around looking like they're waiting for the next emergency call from headquarters.

Parents of Stellenbosch:

The mission is over.

You've completed the drop-off.

You survived.

Turn the music up.

Open the sunroof.

Put on your favourite song.

Drink your coffee while it's still hot.

Smile at a stranger.

Sing badly.

You've earned it.

Life is hard.

That's not pessimism.
It's reality.

Running a business is hard.
Having a boss is hard.

Saving money is hard.
Being broke is hard.

Getting fit is hard.
Being unhealthy is hard.

Raising children is hard.
Wanting children and not having them is hard.

Building a relationship is hard.
Being lonely is hard.

Taking risks is hard.
Living with regret is hard.

Almost everything worthwhile comes with a price attached to it.

The mistake many people make is waiting for life to become easy before they start pursuing what they want.

But easy rarely arrives.

The real question is not:
"How do I avoid hardship?"

The real question is:
"Which hard am I willing to choose?"

Because every path has obstacles.
Every decision has trade-offs.
Every season of life carries its own burdens.

The people who move forward are not necessarily stronger, smarter or luckier.

They simply decide which hard is worth enduring.

So if you're facing a difficult decision today, don't ask yourself which option is easier.

Ask yourself which hard leads you closer to the life you actually want.

Then choose that one.

Friday
☀️ Mostly Sunny
18° / 6°
A beautiful winter's day in Stellenbosch. The kind of weather that tricks you into leaving the house without a jersey at 8am and then immediately reminds you that it's still June.

Saturday
⛅ Partly Sunny
18° / 9°
Another solid day ahead. Perfect conditions for wine tasting, farmers markets, mountain biking, or telling yourself you'll go for a hike and then ending up at a coffee shop instead.

Sunday
☁️ Becoming Cloudy
20° / 12°
The warmest day of the weekend with increasing cloud cover. Not a bad day for a long lunch somewhere in the Winelands while pretending Monday is still very far away.

As always, thanks for reading. If you spot something in town worth knowing, reply and tell us. Half the best Stellenbosch stories begin that way.

See you around town,
Stellenbosch Brief

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