Did a Nigerian pastor buy Cape Town heritage site?

2026-03-03 - 11:53

The Good Hope Centre, one of Cape Town’s most recognised architectural landmarks, was reportedly snapped up for R135 million at a City of Cape Town auction. A Nigerian pastor has made headlines after claiming his church purchased the Good Hope Centre, a protected heritage site in Cape Town, at a municipal auction held on Friday. The City of Cape Town on Monday said no bids had been formally accepted yet. ALSO READ: Cape Town sells off 50 plots of public land despite outcry Pastor John Anosike of Spirit Revelation Ecclesia, told his congregation during a Sunday service that the acquisition was the most significant act of faith he had ever undertaken. “I want to tell you something that happened yesterday. It’s a big testimony and also the greatest leap of faith that I’ve ever taken in my life. Yesterday, I don’t know if you heard that Good Hope Centre has been sold. We bought it,” Anosike told congregants. The claim was initially made by Pastor Thelma Lewis, who leads a ministry within Spirit Revelation Ecclesia. In a social media post on Friday, Lewis framed the purchase in spiritual terms, declaring it a moment of historic significance for the church. “Today has marked a day of victory for the church and Pastor John Anosike. The Good Hope Centre is a gate in Cape Town, and the church has taken their position at the gate of the city. February is declared a month of victory,” she wrote. The Citizen attempted to contact the church for comment on Monday, but they declined to comment and abruptly ended the call. City pumps the brakes on auction results Despite the celebratory claims from the church, the City of Cape Town has urged the public to exercise caution. While 53 plots went under the hammer at the online auction, city officials confirmed that no bids have been formally accepted and that a rigorous post-auction audit is currently underway. The city stated that it had not yet confirmed the validity of any bids, noting that “detailed vetting and due diligence in the coming weeks” was required before any sale could be concluded. This process, the city explained, would assess bidders’ tax compliance, financial standing, ownership structures, and risk profiles, as well as whether Municipal Asset Transfer Regulation requirements had been met. With specific reference to the Good Hope Centre, the city was clear that the process was far from over. “Regarding the Good Hope Centre in particular, should it be established that a qualifying bid has been received, this will be vetted in detail to ensure that the bidder complies fully with the requirements of the Offer To Purchase and the Development Facilitation Agreement,” it said. The city added that it would also assess whether any development proposal met all heritage requirements and provided broader community access. ALSO READ: ‘You auctioned our country’: Opposition slams Ramaphosa’s Sona on economy, corruption and crime Heritage and history at stake The Good Hope Centre is not an ordinary piece of real estate. The city itself has acknowledged its cultural and architectural significance, describing it as “a socio-cultural hub during apartheid, hosting numerous public events and competitions”. “Its structural design was considered an engineering milestone at the time of its construction, featuring what was then the largest precast concrete roof cross-vault in the world.” The city reiterated that any final agreement would still need to pass through the Immovable Property Adjudication Committee and receive approval from the City Council. Furthermore, it emphasised that “any final sale agreement that the city may determine to enter into with successful bidders will incorporate the outcomes of this due diligence process and has to be approved by Council, where applicable.” The city has also sought to contextualise the auction within its broader asset management strategy, arguing that releasing unused municipal properties allows the private sector to create jobs, generate revenue from rates, and fund infrastructure upgrades, particularly in lower-income areas. Opposition raises red flags over the sale Not everyone has welcomed the auction. The Good Party on Thursday, 26 February, raised pointed questions about the financial rationale and the apparent disregard for public input. It noted that the R135 million sale price effectively amounted to R129.3 million once R4.7 million in recent publicly-funded upgrades was factored in, with a further R100 million in outer-year budget allocations still linked to the site. The party also challenged the city to be fully transparent about the decision-making process, particularly given the site’s heritage status and the concerns raised during public consultations. “Cape Town’s public assets belong to its people. They are not surplus inventory to be disposed of while communities wait for land, facilities, and dignity,” the party said. “If the city is confident that this sale meets the constitutional standards of transparency, accountability, and cost-effectiveness, it should release every valuation report, every feasibility study, and every record showing how public input shaped the outcome.” The city said it would provide further updates as the due diligence process progresses and bids are reviewed by the relevant approval bodies. NOW READ: Cape Town affordable housing provider defends evictions amid claims it places profit over people