Western Cape Government brings Rental Housing Tribunal services closer to Garden Route residents
Media Release by Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers
On Monday, 17 August 2026, Western Cape Provincial Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers launched two new Rental Housing Tribunal Offices in the Garden Route – one in George and another in Oudtshoorn. This strategic rollout means there are now four local, free and professional rental housing advisory and dispute-resolution services in the Southern Cape, meaning residents no longer have to travel hundreds of kilometres to Cape Town to access administrative justice.
The establishment of these local offices directly addresses a long-standing barrier to access by placing essential government services in municipal spaces outside the City of Cape Town. Operating under the statutory mandate of the Rental Housing Act, the new offices will assist tenants and landlords with guidance on rights and obligations, offer face-to-face advice, facilitate early dispute resolution, and formalise referrals to the Western Cape Rental Housing Tribunal.
Speaking at the launch events, Minister Simmers highlighted that the initiative is designed to foster a fair, transparent, and stable rental market across the province.
Minister Simmers said, “Today is about much more than opening government offices. It is about bringing government closer to the people. A citizen in George, Oudtshoorn, or anywhere in this region should not have to travel to a major centre simply to access a provincial government service designed to protect their rental property rights and resolve disputes. Our responsibility is to make government more accessible, more responsive, and easier for people to navigate.”
The expansion comes as rapid economic and population growth across the Garden Route drives increased demand for well-regulated rental housing. Through proactive education and accessible dispute-resolution services, the new offices will help prevent conflicts, protect responsible property investment, and uphold tenants’ rights to dignified, safe and lawful living conditions.
These new facilities add to the fully operational office in Mossel Bay, as well as the newly launched office in Bitou, further strengthening provincial government support across the region.
Minister Simmers added, “The Rental Housing Tribunal is not about choosing between tenants and landlords. We need a rental housing environment that works for both. Responsible property owners must feel secure in their investments, while tenants must be treated with dignity and fairness. By decentralising these services, we are making equal access to justice a living reality for every household in this region.”
The Western Cape Department of Infrastructure will continue expanding these vital advisory and dispute-resolution mechanisms across municipalities, bringing services closer to communities and strengthening housing stability and access to justice for landlords and tenants across the Western Cape.
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Media enquiries:
Melt Botes
Spokesperson for Provincial Minister Tertuis Simmers
Email: Melchior.Botes@westerncape.gov.za
Tel: 021 483 8067
Cell: 082 431 0068
