A dispute over short-term rentals is dividing residents and investors at one of South Africas largest housing estates. The conflict centers on Blyde Riverwalk Estate in Pretoria, a development by Balwin Properties, led by South African tycoon Stephen Brookes, over whether Airbnb-style rentals should be permitted in lifestyle estates.
The estate has delivered 14 phases of the project with more than 1,100 units completed. Once finished, the estate is expected to hold over 3,200 homes alongside a man-made lagoon designed to give residents a beach in the city experience.
Residents began moving in back in 2018. During South Africas 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, the estate gained popularity as a local vacation spot, with many units rented to families looking for short getaways within Gauteng. What began as a temporary convenience has since escalated into a wider dispute over property use and community standards.