[Image: Wikkicommons]
The social media video currently being WhatsApped across the Cape, which shows the slow decay at Newlands Stadium, has elicited quite a bit of feedback.
While most of the comments and emails have been rather nostalgic, there’s a strong sense that Newlands Stadium should remain “the people’s playground,” especially with rumblings that it could be sold at auction to the highest bidder.
With that in mind, one reader has responded with a solid argument as to why Newlands should remain a place for all Cape Townians, and not be turned into another ‘exclusive’ development:
“I feel a deep sense of nostalgia—and, honestly, no small amount of dread—about what’s coming for Newlands.With the inevitable sale of the stadium, it seems likely that the field itself, the oldest international rugby ground in the world, will be lost forever under layers of concrete and glass. That thought fills me with a sense of loss—not just for the game, but for Cape Town, for South Africa, and for a piece of history that has shaped generations of rugby lovers.
But I don’t think it has to be that way. There’s a way forward that makes financial sense for developers while keeping the spirit of Newlands alive. Instead of flattening the field completely, why not integrate it into the new development? Imagine a training ground, a club venue, a place for big school matches, touch rugby leagues, and even other field sports. Keep a modest 5,000 to 10,000 seats, the changerooms, maybe a bar and restaurant, and then build around it—upwards, not over it.
There are incredible examples of developments around the world that have kept the essence of a historic sports venue while making space for modern business and residential use.Office spaces and boardrooms overlooking the field would be premium real estate, a draw for blue-chip companies and executives who’d love to host meetings with a view of the hallowed turf. Imagine international teams training there, Currie Cup games bringing life to the stadium again, school kids playing where legends once stood.
A great playing surface is always in demand. It could generate steady income through club and school rentals—not as much as a block of flats in the short term, sure, but over time, the appeal of this kind of precinct would sustain itself.
It would be a landmark, a destination, a development that people want to be part of. The South African Rugby Union could have offices there, Western Province could still have a presence, and Newlands could remain a symbol of what it has always been: the home of rugby in South Africa.
The precinct as a whole could be something truly special. Restaurants, bars, green spaces leading to the Liesbeek River—it could be a modern hub for sport, business, and lifestyle, all without erasing the heart of what makes Newlands unique.”
Well said.
