Eddie Andrews’s career path has taken him from the front row of the scrum to the front bench of local politics. It wasn’t as straightforward as running onto a rugby field. “I stumbled into sports, and I stumbled into politics,” says Cape Town’s deputy mayor.
Andrews, 48, who grew up in Mitchells Plain, graduated from Steenberg High in Retreat. He is still remembered as a pillar in the front row for Western Province, the Stormers and the Springboks, earning 23 Test caps.
He initially played hockey and cricket, but as he grew taller and picked up weight, rugby became a better fit. He found a sport where he could “use my weight to my advantage”, says the former prop, who stands just short of 2m and weighed 115kg at the peak of his rugby career.
Today, he puts that weight behind his job as mayoral committee member for spatial planning & environment, one of the city’s vital portfolios. He has been deputy mayor since 2021.
He looks at Cape Town from both a local and global perspective. More than half of the world’s population lives in cities, and with its growing population, Cape Town needs to protect “certain pockets of the city that are of cultural and heritage concern”, he says.
“It’s not just one-size-fits-all in the city but a detailed local plan that would guide us,” he says. “We will remain the fastest-growing city in South Africa. The only way you respond is to plan accordingly. From a spatial perspective, we know exactly where the growth pressures are.”
He says the city regards the growing population as an opportunity. “If you look at people coming in and how we’ve invested, we’re putting our money where our mouth is. We invest in infrastructure so you can accommodate that particular growth.”
We will remain the fastest-growing city in South Africa. The only way you respond is to plan accordingly
— Eddie Andrews
The Bo-Kaap falls within his portfolio. Residents of this suburb, located on the slopes of Signal Hill and known for its colourful houses and Cape Malay heritage, are fighting developers. They fear gentrification is pricing out locals, with one example being an application to build a six-storey hotel just metres from the oldest mosque in the country. The city’s planning tribunal is considering the application.
He says local spatial frameworks provide clarity to developers on what they’re allowed to do, but more importantly, offer assurances to communities.
“Properties have land-use zoning in place. Property owners have the right to use that zoning category and [the] bulk that can be afforded.” But, he says, “it can’t just be that you maximise those opportunities”.
Andrews says the Bo-Kaap’s “history and historical context are so important. I have lots of interesting conversations with Bo-Kaap constituents and, depending on who you’re speaking to, some are satisfied. There are also some who would say: ‘No development at all.’ We don’t think that is appropriate.
“People have owned property way before [heritage protection was implemented]. They have rights, but they’re not utilising their rights now because of the additional criteria that we have in place. We can’t say absolutely no development.”
Another issue high on his agenda is a biodiversity spatial plan, an upgrade from a 2015 document. Andrews says the document will reduce conflict between environmental and other sectors.
His environment portfolio includes Table Mountain National Park, nature reserves and conservation areas, as well as some private biodiversity stewardship sites.
“We’ve got to ensure that protected areas remain protected. We have to ensure that we have additional trees planted as part of our tree replacement programme. Because climate change certainly has an impact.”
Cape Town was the first municipality in South Africa to develop and implement a spatial biodiversity plan. The city manages 20,045ha in its 22 nature reserves and 16 biodiversity agreement conservation areas, most of which are open to the public. Andrews says the up-to-date information on biodiversity priorities will guide planning, protected-area expansion and sustainable development in the city.
Another controversial topic has been Cape Town’s coastal water quality. A group of citizens and scientists conducted testing at several beaches and drew up a report showing there are indications of E coli and enterococci in the ocean. The city denies this and recently met the scientists in a meeting described as “productive”.
“We’ve looked at what they’ve reported on and there are some inconsistencies.” He says a site tested one day could show a different result the next. “There are all those variables. From my side, I’m just keen to understand. We have a [water testing] dashboard, [that] is open to the public.”
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