Rent control debate reignites as academic challenges Cape Town mayor’s stance

An academic from the University of the Western Cape has pushed back against Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis’s rejection of rent control, arguing that the policy deserves serious consideration as the city’s housing affordability crisis deepens.

Kiasha Naidoo, an associate lecturer in philosophy at UWC and a doctoral candidate at Stellenbosch University, recently authored an opinion piece in the Daily Maverick challenging the mayor’s claim that rent control is a ‘demonstrably, repeatedly and historically wrong’ intervention.

Hill-Lewis has argued that capping rental prices would discourage maintenance, drive developers out of the market, and shrink housing supply, ultimately worsening inequality. He maintains that increasing housing supply through land release and private-sector incentives is the only sustainable solution.

Naidoo, however, says the debate has been framed too narrowly.

Housing as a constitutional and ethical issue

Naidoo argues that housing should be understood not merely as a market commodity, but as a constitutional right closely linked to dignity and self-determination.

“It’s simply unethical to evict people from their homes because they can no longer afford escalating rents,” she said, adding that housing becoming unaffordable undermines people’s ability to live meaningful lives in the city.

She said economic arguments against rent control are often treated as settled fact, while ethical considerations are dismissed as emotional or irrational.

Questioning the ‘supply-side’ argument

The mayor’s position rests heavily on the idea that rent control would reduce supply, but Naidoo described this as a simplistic reading of how markets function.

“The idea of a pure free market is largely a fantasy,” she said, noting that housing markets are often highly concentrated, with dominant players able to influence prices far beyond basic supply-and-demand dynamics.

She argued that treating market rules as sacred leaves little room for human-centred policy interventions aimed at protecting residents from displacement.

Middle-class pressure is often ignored

Naidoo also highlighted the growing pressure on middle-income earners, including teachers, nurses and young professionals who earn too much to qualify for social housing but are increasingly priced out of Cape Town.

“Annual rent increases often outpace salary increases,” she said. “People can technically afford rent, but it hurts and it gets harder every year.”

She suggested that capping rent increases to inflation could offer relief without freezing rents outright.

Profit, not maintenance, is driving increases

Responding to concerns that rent control would undermine building maintenance, Naidoo pointed to reports of rental increases of close to 30% a year in parts of the city.

“That far exceeds inflation,” she said. “These increases are about expanding profit margins, not covering maintenance costs.”

She argued that inflation-linked caps would still allow rents to rise in line with costs, while limiting excessive profiteering.

Fear versus lived reality

Hill-Lewis has warned that rent control could lead to urban decay or ‘slumification’, but Naidoo said fear-based arguments distract from residents’ lived experiences.

“The real fear is not hypothetical decline,” she said. “It’s the fear of eviction, of not knowing where you’ll live next, of watching rent climb beyond reach.”

She called on the mayor to engage meaningfully with economists, civil society and advocacy groups, rather than dismissing rent control outright.

Call for serious engagement

While acknowledging that rent control is not a silver bullet, Naidoo said it should be part of a broader, honest discussion about affordability, restorative justice and who the city ultimately serves.

“This isn’t just about emotions,” she said. “There is a moral imperative here and it deserves careful, serious thought.”

The debate around rent control continues as housing activists and city officials remain divided over how best to address Cape Town’s growing affordability crisis.

For more information, listen to Naidoo using the audio player below: