Discover the latest news updates, experiences and more at the V&A Waterfront
There are a wide variety of attractions and activities to enjoy on the property. From heritage landmarks to more leisurely pursuits. Fun for all ages.
Take your experience to new heights with the Wheel’s elevated views across Granger Bay, Robben Island, Table Mountain, Signal Hill, and the Cape Town Stadium.
A number of apartments are available for rent at the V&A Waterfront, ranging from smaller studios to 1 and 2 bedroom apartments. Living at the V&A Waterfront offers residents security, convenience, a vibrant nightlife and all the amenities you may possibly need.
Apartment living at its most convenient.
The V&A Waterfront is an iconic 123-hectare neighbourhood which welcomes millions of people from all over the continent and world. We celebrate heritage & diversity, champion art & design, support entrepreneurship & innovation & drive positive social, economic & environmental change.
We’re the first attraction in South Africa to adopt the WTTC Safe Travels stamp.
Welcome to the V&A Waterfront where history meets modernity. Located in the heart of beautiful Cape Town, our neighbourhood offers a unique variety of dinning, shopping and entrainment options. Come experience the best that Cape Town has to offer
+27 21 408 7600
info@waterfront.co.za
Makers Landing: 10AM – 9PM (Fri-Sat), 10AM – 6PM (Sun), Optional Trade (Mon-Thu)
OZCF Market: 4PM – 9pm (Wed), 8AM – 2PM (Sat), 8:30AM – 2PM (Sun)
Watershed: 10AM – 7PM (Mon-Sun)
Battery Park: 9AM – 6PM (Mon-Sun),
Victoria Wharf: 9AM – 9PM (Mon-Sun)
Alfred Mall: 10AM – 7PM (Mon-Sun)
THE V&A offers a one-stop-shop service for obtaining permissions within the V&A precinct. This means that the production company completes a single application form, and the V&A will facilitate all necessary permissions from within the site. Applications must be received during V&A Waterfront office hours i.e.: Monday to Friday 08h00 to 17h00 and are available on the V&A Waterfront website on www.waterfront.co.za.
Productions shooting in tenanted space will require additional permits from the relevant tenant; the V&A can facilitate access to the correct contact people as required.
Please contact Penny Randall on +27 21 408 7632, alternatively +27 82 450 5999 or via email on prandall@waterfront.co.za for any information, contacts or permits
The V&A Waterfront is a privately owned and managed facility. The V&A Management therefore must regulate filming / photographic activities that balance the industry’s production needs with those of other users, including residents, visitors and businesses across the 123 hectare site. This is managed through a formal permit process.
A permit is required from the V&A for ANY filming / photographing across the V&A site, including news media, student teams and / or charitable productions – although the process may be different for each subsector.
Please note: The filming or videotaping of motion pictures solely for private-family-tourist use does not require a permit.
The permit process allows the V&A to monitor impacts and ensure the on-going availability of locations throughout the year.
The V&A Waterfront will not grant permission for the use of drones or any remotely piloted aircraft for any filming activity within its precinct.
The V&A Waterfront is a restricted environment that is within 10km radius of a nearby airport and is also a base for civilian helicopter operations, with private property and commercial buildings as well as a public spaces and subscribes to the regulations as stipulated by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA).
Legally accepted guidelines can be found on the SACAA website on the link http://www.caa.co.za
Given the broad scope of business activities at the V&A Waterfront, Permit Applications in the V&A may require the following approvals:
All the above is to be directed to the Permit Office & not to the various divisions directly.
Activities requiring approval include, amongst other things, construction of sets or facades, the use of fire, firearms (blank shots) or pyrotechnics, the use of animals.
Filming / photographing at sea or in the harbor will always require permission.
It is therefore advisable for film / photographic companies to liaise with the V&A Permit Office at an early stage to ensure prompt facilitation regarding the range of approvals required and the identification of the relevant authority.
Filming / photographic hours in the various areas of the site are generally as follows:
These times include the time required for the arrival and departure of crew and as well as the setting up and striking of sets and equipment. Production vehicles may not arrive earlier than the permitted time.
There may be other time limitations on venue availability when security and road usage are fully stretched. These include:
Film / Photographic Productions in the V&A must strive to:
With more than 2 million people visiting the V&A every month, the roads into and out of the V&A are typically very difficult to close, even for intermittent closure. Significant consultation with the V&A – including the production of a traffic management plan – would therefore typically be required. Any permitted road closures may only occur under the supervision of V&A security. Dock Road and Breakwater Boulevard are not to be closed at any time.
Production vehicles may only park in designated areas / zones and may not block driveways, access/exit ramps, fire hydrants or fire routes. Parking is not allowed on the internal sites in the V&A, only in official parking areas. Base Camp parking is also encouraged and takes place on The Lookout open parking area only when there are no events taking place in the venue. All parking regulations shall be adhered to.
Application to remove / alter signage must be made at time of application. The removal / alteration / restitution of signage is the responsibility of the V&A, and this cost will be for the production company if allowed.
Directional Signs with the name of the Film Company may not be placed on street poles, traffic light or command poles. If this is required for major shoots a proposal must be sent to the V&A Permit Office in advance for assessment and permissions. If allowed all signage must be removed within 24 hours of the shoot subject to V&A removal of the signs at Company expense.
Electricity points are not always available on sites within the V&A Waterfront and if required silent generators can be brought in by the film / photographic company at the production companies own cost. If a 15-amp electricity point is available for use on the site, this will be metered, depending on the magnitude of the shoot.
Sets, structures or facades may not impede or obstruct the V&A’s CCTV cameras. Security reserves the right to halt any filming should production equipment or personnel be an obstruction to V&A Waterfront activity. The film crew would be obliged to dismantle any obstruction immediately.
Permission for the construction of sets, facades and structures is required and full diagrams and plans to be submitted to the V&A Waterfront Permit Office
The V&A must be advised in writing, with a letter of permission from the appropriate department of the SAPS should explosives, flammable liquids or weaponry (with blanks) be required. Information regarding all intended discharges is to be included in the application. All costs associated with the requirements are for the film company account.
Only non-toxic, non-pollutant smoke machines are permissible. All permit conditions must be complied with.
Due to the proximity of the working harbor and SA Customs, drones are not allowed for filming at the V&A Waterfront.
Use of motorized vehicles is by special arrangement only. Launch of watercraft may only take place at prescribed launch sites, and if confirmed would need to travel at slow speeds within the Waterfront Marina / Harbour. The area is full of seals and fish life.
An appropriate Emergency Care Practitioner, who meets the Health Professions Council of South Africa’s standards, should be on standby for film shoots. All shoots must have an approved first aid kit on set and must be available at all times for use by a qualified first aider or ECP. The V&A Waterfront have a contract with ER24 who have an office on site. Should you wish to use this service the Permit Office will give you the information required.
All caterers are to be in possession of a certificate of acceptability and relevant business license.
Cleaning up of locations after shoots is the responsibility of the film company. All waste and litter is to be removed from the location and disposed of in an authorized manner. Cleaning must take place with the minimum amount of noise and disruption to return the site to its original condition.
Lighting is to be oriented away from residents, business and hotels
Only “blimped” generators are allowed, and these must be placed so that noise and exhaust fumes do not cause a disturbance.
It is the responsibility of the production company to ensure that crew conduct themselves in a safe and professional manner. A guide to expected conduct, based on existing agreed industry protocols, is attached (see Annexure A)
Potential applicants are encouraged to open dialogue with the V&A at a pre-application stage, to determine what may or may not be possible within the complex. This early dialogue promotes a clear understanding of each party’s needs and expectations, whilst giving the V&A an opportunity to outline the time frames, approvals, consultations etc. required.
Applicants must complete the official online Permit Application Form. No other form of application will be accepted. The form must be submitted to the V&A four to six days before the proposed shoot day. The application must include detailed information about the shoot to facilitate the decision-making process across affected departments, and will not allow you to enter the site before reading and agreeing to the Terms and Conditions. Please see attached printed version of the form.
Production Companies may make pencil bookings of desired locations. Pencil Bookings must be confirmed within 48 hours through payment of the required fees. Pencil Bookings automatically lapse after a 48 hour period.
The V&A’s Permit Office has the delegated authority to issue permits itself. Its role is to coordinate permit applications with the relevant department on behalf of the applicant, ensuring timely cross-departmental approvals. The V&A office will therefore assist with the identification of the necessary decision-makers and ensure that they are made aware of the need for inputs, before a permit can be issued.
Permit Applications are assessed according to:
This is included in the Application form and a field that must be ticked off before the form is sent to the V&A Waterfront Permit Office.
The V&A will issue a pro-forma invoice detailing the film permit fee. This will include the range of services required by the V&A for the successful delivery of the shoot. Tariffs are calculated according to the V&A’s rate card (published / updated annually – See Annexure C.). Payment must be made in full before the permit can be issued.
After processing the application and payment, the V&A Film / Photographic Permit Office will issue a permit, subject to a range of relevant conditions of approval.
The permit specifies the date for the shoot and is valid for the given time/date only. However, the V&A may consider changes to the permit subject to written application, and satisfaction that the changes are substantially similar to the original application. The permit must be amended accordingly.
The Film / Photographic Company must liaise with a tenant directly to film within a tenancy and inform the V&A Waterfront Permit Office that they are doing so. The Permit Office can assist with contacts for tenants should this be required. If the Film / Photographic Company is going to film on the outside of the tenancy then it must have permission and a permit from the V&A Permit Office.
The V&A may require a professional Film Unit Location Officer or Environmental Control Officer to be hired to monitor the shoot at the expense of the production company. A copy of the permit and the receipt of payment must be carried with the production at all times.
Should a production company fail to comply with any of the permit conditions, production may be stopped by V&A Security at any time. The V&A will maintain a record of infringements in order to facilitate an ongoing review of the permit system and locations management in the V&A.
The legalities covered in the International Location Release Form are covered substantially in the V&A Waterfront Application Form (in the Terms and Conditions). The V&A will not sign off any external release form as we work with South African law in case of dispute.
The Waterfront Film Studios occupies the hub at the gateway to the V & A Waterfront. A joint venture partnership between LaserNet, Blade Works, Cut & Paste and FuseFX, the Waterfront Film Studios strategy is to develop technology services for the film and TV industry, and to create a first world technological facility that can attract international productions to South Africa.
For filmmakers, the site already includes 3 sound stages and future expansion will take Stage 3 from 400sqm to 1000sqm. Additionally a new Stage 4 will be built, also at 1000sqm, with an increased roof height to around 16 metres to accommodate double volume sets. Furthermore, a fifth stage is also in the planning, creating a unique production hub within easy reach of the city centre.
The Waterfront Film Studios is also set to expand post production significantly, growing the VFX offering and the high-end long-form post production environment. The Studios have already added VFX and Pre-visualisation tools like LiDAR and cyber scanners, as well as DIT and content management facilities and high storage arrays for managing 2k to 6k shoots.
The Waterfront Film Studios also offers comprehensive services to the restoration side of the business. The old Film Lab is already being used for cleaning and preparation of print and negative stock for the restoration process and the centre has also added an additional four language dubbing suites to complete the restoration offering. The suites are currently dubbing 100 episodes of Hindi content into English each month.
Working with the V&A management, the Waterfront Film Studios have also taken over a number of properties in the surrounding Waterfront area, including a range of production offices, which will expand the studio’s offering to the industry in the near future. Future expansion also includes adding various post production and VFX tools as well as an extensive revamp of audio facilities and adding an ATMOS studio and viewing environment.
The Waterfront Film Studios recently wrapped on The Giver, and the first season of the SyFy produced TV series Dominion, which is an adaptation of the 2010 supernatural movie, Legion.
For more information, please contact:
The V&A Waterfront offers leisure and business travellers an impressive selection of accommodation, ranging from budget-friendly to the finest five-star luxury, all of which are located in our exceptional surroundings. We are located within walking distance of the Cape Town City Centre and the surrounding suburbs of Sea Point, Mouille Point and Greenpoint. Click on the following link for more information on our hotels and self-catering options on:-
https://www.waterfront.co.za/stay/hotels-at-the-vanda
https://www.waterfront.co.za/stay/self-catering
The V&A Waterfront is home to some of Cape Town’s best restaurants, with over 80 eateries for our visitors to choose from. If you’re looking for somewhere to eat out in Cape Town, we feature flavours from around the world and options to suit every budget. Whether you are looking for a quick bite from our world-class food market or a more leisurely experience at some of our unique fine dining restaurants, we have something for everyone. Choose from a wide range of eateries with Table Mountain and sea views or indoor cafes, delis and casual dining eateries spread across the property.
Click on the following link for further information on our dining options:-
https://www.waterfront.co.za/Eat/overview
There are a number of commercial spaces available in the various precincts of the V&A Waterfront, ranging from those steeped in Cape Town’s heritage to those boasting innovative architecture and technology. For further information on whether anything is available for your shoot, contact prandall@waterfront.co.za
A city within a city, the V&A Waterfront is a 123-hectare mixed-use privately owned- and managed- precinct in the heart of Cape Town. Located around the oldest harbour in South Africa, the V&A includes:
The V&A therefore offers almost unlimited potential for filmmakers for use as a range of dramatic sets, backdrops and locations, for production offices and base camps, for the entertainment and accommodation of crew and talent, and for the provision of a whole range of goods and services for the industry – all within one easy-to-reach complex.
19 269 people work within the V&A and footfall is measured on the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre alone and these numbers indicate that between 1.7 and 2.5 million people visit the shopping centre every month. The V&A itself has also contributed R259.1 billion to the South African economy over the last twelve years.
This document therefore serves to balance the needs of residents, businesses and visitors with the goal of “film / photographic friendliness”, thereby encouraging the film and photographic sector to make even greater use of the V&A’s facilities and services. Film and photographic friendliness includes the development of:
The V&A Waterfront has long recognized the importance and the valuable contribution of film and media production to the economic and cultural development and wellbeing of the City and Province. Through this document the V&A aims to create a “film and photographic friendly environment” that encourages filming/photographic right across the 123-hectare site.
The V&A offers a vibrant film hub that’s unique in Southern Africa. It includes a range of diverse locations, from modern office complexes and shopping malls, to historic buildings, a working harbour and marina, helipads, a variety of hotels, exciting public spaces, galleries, museums, cinemas and theatres. It includes specific film services within the Waterfront Film Studios complex. The precinct offers flexible office space in a variety of categories per square metre, to meet a range of budgets. And the hotels and restaurants on site make for an ideal base for inbound production crews from around the world. Finally, the V&A’s retail mix includes a range of goods, services, products and facilities that the film industry can use.
The V&A has therefore adopted a site-wide approach that filming is ’everyone’s business’. However, whilst we aim to create a pro-film environment, such an approach is necessarily mindful of our obligation to balance the film industry’s requirements with our obligations to the businesses, residents and visitors who also make use of the site. We must also take into consideration community and environmental issues, as well as the security related matters that come from being a working harbour.
Our goal is therefore to ensure the responsible use of the V&A’s locations and resources and the maintenance of an amenity that is already heavily utilised.
To achieve film-friendliness, The V&A therefore aims to create, publish and maintain clear rules and regulations for the use of the site, so that the industry can plan accordingly. Through this process, we hope to encourage more and better collaboration between all role-players, to promote partnerships between the V&A and other stakeholders, and to facilitate a timely appreciation of the requirements and expectations of filming on the site of everyone concerned. Regular monitoring and feedback is considered an essential component of this collaboration.
The V&A thus commits itself to introduce best practice international standards, competitive pricing and improved coordination of the permit process, in order to create a vibrant V&A Film / photographic Hub.
The V&A has committed to “Film / Photographic Friendliness” as follows:
The V&A Waterfront is located in close proximity to some of Cape Town’s most iconic tourist attractions:
Situated around the oldest working harbor in South Africa, the V&A includes leisure activities and retail, entertainment, residential and commercial property. 60% of the harbor activity is fisheries-related. The 181 small businesses at the V&A Waterfront not only create more than 19 269 jobs, but also positively impact the economy through the number of products sourced and produced locally. The V&A Waterfront attracts 24 million visitors a year. International visitors account for only 23% of all arrivals; locals account for 63% of visitors, and 14% of visitors come from the rest of the country. According to the Economic Impact Assessment conducted in 2014, the Waterfront accounted for 61% of all tourism visits and 62% of all tourism spending of the 20 top tourist attractions in Cape Town.
With over 450 retail outlets selling everything from fashion, homeware and curios, to Jewellery, leather goods and audiovisual equipment, the V&A Waterfront is South Africa’s most popular shopping destination, offering a diverse offering of local and international brands. The V&A Waterfront offers leisure and business travellers an impressive selection of accommodation, ranging from budget-friendly to the finest five-star luxury, all of which are located in our exceptional surroundings. The V&A includes 10 hotels and 80 restaurants as well as 22 official historic landmarks on-site.
The working harbour caters for a wide range of vessels and yachts via two deep water passenger vessel berths, super yacht berths and a multitude of private floating marina berths. The local fishing industry occupies some 60% of the harbour and provides visitors with a vibrant and ever-changing backdrop of tug boats, ferries, fishing vessels, charter boats and marine life. The V&A is the gateway to Robben Island.
Locations within the V&A Waterfront that may be considered for filming include:-
(See Gallery for photos of the below sites)
See map for details. Please contact the V&A Film & Photographic Permit Office for information on the permissions required for each location, and any contacts for various tenants.
academy lead
Emily is a Youth Empowerment Expert with over 20 years’ experience in the space. Emily co-founded Amathuba Collective, offering extensive programmes to strengthen young people’s emotional and mental wellbeing.
Their passion to help youth to love themselves and grow into positive and confident humans has informed the V&A Academy approach. At the Academy she guides and oversees activities from an impact perspective to ensure we achieve measurable, lasting change in the young people and their hosting businesses.
Thabile in a seasoned HR Practitioner with a special focus on youth employment. She leads young teams and develops talent in administrative and compliance roles.
At the Academy she liaises with hosts, managers and supervisors to support the development of the young people and their ability to add significant value to their employers. She guides the administrative processes to ensure smooth and impactful implementation the Academy’s projects.
Brett leads the V&A Academy team and is responsible for strategic partnerships to create job opportunities for young people across the V&A Waterfront.
He focuses on enabling career paths for under-resourced youth in Cape Town’s tourism, retail, and hospitality sectors. Brett is passionate about supporting young people’s transition into the workplace and ensuring host businesses nurture their growth. He works to help businesses improve customer service excellence by developing young talent. Brett oversees the design and delivery of training programs, collaborating with employers, funders, and partners to create lasting, positive change across the V&A Waterfront ecosystem.
