Geordin Hill-Lewis reopened the refurbished Site B Library in Khayelitsha on Wednesday after fire restoration work on the building that was badly damaged in 2024. The upgrade cost close to R3.1 million and returned a public library service to Residents of Khayelitsha.
Library staff packed around 300 boxes of books, computers and equipment before construction started, then unpacked each item and put it back in place after the work was finished. That detail shows how much of the site had to be cleared before the rebuilding could begin.
Site B Library in Khayelitsha
The refurbishment began in October 2025 and included a new roof and ceiling, fresh paint inside and outside the building, new flooring and tiles, upgraded public toilets, improved lighting and modern electrical and network infrastructure. Geordin Hill-Lewis said every Cape Town resident deserves access to high-quality public facilities, regardless of where they live, and he hoped the library would become 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.
Francine Higham said the reopening represents the restoration of an important public service and said Residents of Khayelitsha should help protect the facility so it can continue serving future generations. The reopening also fits into wider work across Cape Town, where the metro’s 102 libraries recorded more than seven million visits over the past year and membership grew to more than 253 000 people.
Refurbishment of the Site B Library
The City plans to spend R227 million over the next three years on library upgrades, collections, equipment and subscriptions, and the Site B Library project is one of several completed in recent months. Refurbishment work has also been finished at Brown’s Farm Library, Woodstock, Tafelsig, Langa and the Nazeema Isaacs Library in Khayelitsha, while restoration work continues at Brown’s Farm Library after extensive damage in 2023 and the Hector Petersen Memorial Library in Lwandle is being expanded to accommodate more users.
The reopening leaves one basic question untouched: what caused the fire that badly damaged the Site B Library in 2024? For now, the practical change is clear for readers in Khayelitsha — the building is open again, with books, study space, internet access and community use restored.
