Conceived of as a "model suburb" by the apartheid government, it was built during the 1970s to provide housing for Coloured victims of forced removal due to the implementation of the Group Areas Act.

[4] The township was laid out in terms of the neighbourhood unit concept with large open spaces, localised public facilities and wide arterial routes.

Gangsterism and drug abuse has increased and a number of informal settlements has sprung up in several areas, most notably in Eastridge and Taflesig.

The Promenade Shopping Centre is the largest with more than 120 stores comprising major clothing, furniture, banks and restaurant chains.

Such activity reflects a dominance of retail functions with informal trading responding to market and thus concentrated around the main public transport interchanges and along heavily utilised pedestrian routes.

The Mitchell's Plain Public Transport Interchange at the Mitchell's Plain Station includes a major bus terminus and taxi rank which provide public transport services to every major employment area within the City of Cape Town during the morning peak period.

There is regular scheduled bus and unscheduled mini-bus taxi services to Cape Town CBD, Claremont, Bellville, Wynberg, and other areas.

[13] Recent years have seen significant investment by the local authority in improving and upgrading public transport infrastructure and facilities at the Mitchell's Plain Interchange.

It was launched in August 1983 with such leaders of the people as Dr Allan Boesak, Albertina Sisulu, Helen Joseph, Joe Marks, Trevor Manuel, Mosiuoa "Terror" Lekota and many others present.