The Site B Library in Khayelitsha has reopened after a fire badly damaged the building in 2024, returning a key public space to residents after months of repairs and upgrades. Geordin Hill-Lewis officially opened the refurbished library on Wednesday.
The reopening matters because the library is not just a room of books. Residents can borrow books, study, access the internet and take part in community activities there, and the refurbishment cost close to R3.1 million. The work included a new roof and ceiling, fresh paint inside and outside, new flooring and tiles, upgraded public toilets, improved lighting and modern electrical and network infrastructure.
The timing also gives the project weight. The refurbishment began in October 2025, and it comes as the metro’s 102 libraries recorded more than seven million visits over the past year and library membership grew to more than 253 000 people. The City of Cape Town says it plans to spend R227 million over the next three years on upgrading library facilities, expanding collections and improving equipment and subscriptions.
But the reopening at Site B does not erase the damage elsewhere. Restoration work is still continuing at Brown’s Farm Library after extensive damage in 2023, a reminder that fire restoration across the library network is uneven and that one repaired building does not mean the problem has passed. Other work has also been finished at libraries in Woodstock, Tafelsig, Langa and the Nazeema Isaacs Library in Khayelitsha.
Francine Higham said the reopening represents the restoration of an important public service. Hill-Lewis said every Cape Town resident deserves access to high-quality public facilities, regardless of where they live, and said he hopes the library becomes a welcoming space where children develop a love of reading, learners prepare for their futures and residents have a safe place to study, learn and connect with others. For residents in Khayelitsha, the building is open again; the unanswered question is what caused the 2024 fire that forced it shut in the first place.
