Africa-Press – Ethiopia. Cape Town’s beloved Oranjezicht City Farm Market (OCZFM) is gearing up for an exciting new chapter as it relocates to a state-of-the-art, purpose-built venue in December, following significant growth that now supports more than 100 traders and 3 500 livelihoods.
Starting 6 December, the market will relocate to a custom-designed timber barn situated at the corner of Dock Road and Granger Bay Boulevard, just steps away from its current location at the V&A Waterfront.
The new venue boasts breathtaking views of Robben Island and Table Bay, modern amenities, such as running water and extractor fans for food vendors, and improved accessibility via an elevated, wheelchair-friendly bridge connecting it to the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre.
Despite these upgrades, the market will preserve its vibrant community, dog-friendly spaces, wooden pergolas, and welcoming woodchip pathways.
“It’s a bittersweet time for us,” said co-owner Sheryl Ozinsky. “We’ll miss the old market with all its memories, but this is a chance to make new ones. We dared to rebuild a market that was already working, because we believed it could be better. Every corner, every detail has been considered to serve our traders and community in thoughtful ways, while keeping the heart of what we’ve built together.”
A community-driven mission
The Oranjezicht City Farm began in 2012 as a small organic farm on the slopes of Table Mountain, transforming an underutilised space into a 0.25-hectare urban farm and community hub.
Within a decade, it created 33 jobs, trained 45 interns, supported 78 community gardens, hosted 7 700 learners, and composted 8 900 tonnes of organic waste.
This success inspired the launch of the market in 2013, initially as an outlet for local farmers’ produce. In 2015, the market relocated to Granger Bay, where it has continued to thrive to this day.
The market’s relocation has been a labour of love, brought to life by co-owners, Ozinsky and Caz Friedmann, V&A Waterfront CEO David Green, and UK-based investors Robin and Saul Klein of Local Globe.
Speaking about the relocation, Green said: “Markets are important visitor drawcards that connect visitors and locals to a city’s identity. In that sense, the Oranjezicht Farmers Market inspires. It is a community of traders rooted in local agriculture who showcase the authenticity, culture, flavours and creativity of the region. It is world-class in every sense of the word… It’s taken a lot of work to get here, and we wish the market continued success in its new home,” said Green.
Ozinsky adds that the transition has been a collaborative effort. From the architects, timber and roofing contractors, and interior designers to our traders who have taken their stall designs to the next level, everyone brought creativity, skill, and heart to make this vision a reality.”
Looking ahead
As the original Granger Bay site prepares for redevelopment as part of the V&A’s Granger Bay project, the market’s team is optimistic about the future.
“For a decade, this site has been our home. Thank you to everyone who has shopped, lingered, and supported local producers. We can’t wait to welcome you to our new home and create more memories together,” said Ozinsky.
She also expressed hopes for fresh-produce markets to flourish across the country:
“Imagine communities united through fresh, organic food and more sustainable land cultivation. That’s our dream,” she said.
Ozinsky further extended her gratitude to the V&A Waterfront and the people of Cape Town. “Through the [Covid-19] pandemic, load shedding, and all kinds of weather, they kept showing up. We wouldn’t be here without them.”
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