Crawford is a cosy suburb in the Cape Flats, Cape Town, measuring 8 streets wide by 8 streets in length.

The suburb has a fascinating history; it began in 1929 when well-known businessman ER Syfret donated land to establish a housing scheme for people who had been evicted from District 6.  During the Apartheid years, Crawford was the centre of resistance and a Muslim leader, Hadji Haron was detained here in 1969 only to die in jail 37 years later.  

The suburb is sandwiched between the M5 highway travelling to Cape Town and the False Bay suburbs, the M7 to the northern suburbs and the N2 to the airport and Stellenbosch. Various schools surround the suburb and the striking Athlone Stadium is nearby.

Crawford is a good central location from which to visit all of Cape Town’s attractions.

Top 8 reasons to visit Crawford

1. Spend a day at the Kenilworth Racecourse to bet on the horse races held every Wednesday and Saturday during racing season. The centre of the course is a biodiversity hotspot and the last remaining habitat of the critically endangered micro frog.

2. The Royal Cape Golf Club nearby welcomes golfers of any level to their 18-hole championship course. Discounts are offered to overseas visitors.

3. The Southern Line Rail runs down to the southern peninsula along the False Bay coast, close enough to feel the sea breeze. Buy a day pass to hop on and off along the route to Simon’s Town. Alternatively, you can take the train into Cape Town to enjoy all that the city has to offer.

4. The Baxter Theatre in Rondebosch offers all manner of performing arts, from comedy to children’s entertainment. You can ask your host to arrange a programme.

5. Enjoy the wine tastings on offer at the many wine estates along the Constantia Wine Route.

6. Two large shopping malls are within a short distance of Crawford, the trendy Cavendish Square in Claremont and the family-oriented Kenilworth Shopping Centre.

7. Whilst only a microcosm of the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, the Arderne Gardens in Claremont are nonetheless as interesting for the diverse, exotic plants and trees found here. The gardens have been around since 1845 and claim to have the world’s largest Aleppo pine.

8. For late night cravings, the locals head directly to Wembley Roadhouse. The star of the menu is their Gatsby, a monster foot long sandwich with a meat of your choice, French fries, salad and dripping with the chef’s secret sauces.

Transport

The nearest airport is Cape Town International, 14km from Crawford. There is a train station in Crawford for access into the city or south to the False Bay suburbs. Cape Town has many car rental agencies, however, car rental bookings can be made online. Several metered taxi companies operate from bases nearby, but if you have the Uber app, order a taxi off your mobile. Crawford is a mere 25 minute drive from the centre of Cape Town.

Did you know?

On the day of Nelson Mandela’s release 10th February 1990, he and his cavalcade made an unscheduled stop at 44 Haywood Road in Crawford at the home of a colleague’s parents, to make a few phone calls before driving on to the Grand Parade in Cape Town to meet the masses, and relay his historic speech. The daughter answered the doorbell, one can imagine the surprise on her face being confronted by the great man himself!