The Hout Bay drop-off site sits on Main Road near Mandela Road, Hout Bay and opens 07:00–18:00 on summer weekdays (1 September — 30 April), 08:00–17:45 on winter weekdays (1 May — 31 August), 08:00–17:00 on Saturdays and public holidays, and 09:00–13:00 on Sundays. Entry is free for households, the limit is three loads per vehicle per day with the vehicle or trailer under 1,5 tons, and loads must be sorted before arrival.
Hout Bay Drop-Off Opening Hours
| When | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Summer, Monday—Friday (1 September — 30 April) | 07:00–18:00 |
| Winter, Monday—Friday (1 May — 31 August) | 08:00–17:45 |
| Saturdays and public holidays | 08:00–17:00 |
| Sundays | 09:00–13:00 |
The 07:00 summer opening is the earliest in the City network. Every other drop-off site in Cape Town opens at 08:00 or later, so a Hout Bay load can be cleared before the working day starts.
What Hout Bay Accepts
Every load must be sorted before arrival. Unsorted or contaminated loads are refused at the gate and diverted to the nearest landfill, which turns one trip into two. Five streams are taken:
- Clean garden waste — grass and cuttings. Branches run to a maximum of 1,2 m long and 300 mm in diameter. Bagged garden refuse must be emptied out as directed.
- Clean builder's rubble — broken bricks, sand, stone, cement and plaster, with no paper, plastic or timber mixed through it.
- Garage waste — separated and contained, to a maximum of three loads per day.
- Recycling — paper, cardboard, cans, metal, plastic, milk and juice cartons, glass bottles and polystyrene.
- E-waste and motor oil — at the designated recycling area. E-waste excludes batteries.
What Hout Bay Will Not Take
Three categories are refused outright at every Cape Town drop-off site: organic kitchen waste, hazardous waste and rubber waste, which covers tyres. Household hazardous waste goes only to the Bellville or Athlone Refuse Transfer Station, capped at 50 kg per resident per day. Asbestos is refused everywhere in the network and requires a registered asbestos contractor.
Getting There from the Valley
The site sits on Main Road near Mandela Road, which puts it within a few minutes of most of the valley — Hout Bay village, Scott Estate, Hughenden, Northshore and the harbour side. The Atlantic seaboard suburbs over Suikerbossie use it as their nearest option, since the next closest sites are Kommetjie to the south and the city-side facilities over the neck.
How Far the Hout Bay Load Limit Goes
Hout Bay allows three loads per vehicle per day, with the vehicle or trailer under 1,5 tons. Measured against the skip capacities published on this site, that ceiling decides most jobs on its own. Three loads sits between the 2m³ mini skip and the 4m³ midi skip.
| Skip size | Bakkie loads | Holds | Typical job |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2m³ mini skip | 2 | about 25 refuse bags | Single-room renovation, bathroom strip-out |
| 4m³ midi skip | 4 | about 50 refuse bags | Kitchen refit, garage clear-out |
| 6m³ builders skip | 6 | about 75 refuse bags | Building rubble, full-house clear-out |
| 8m³ maxi skip | 8 | about 100 refuse bags | Construction, demolition, estate clearance |
A bathroom strip-out or a small garden clearance fits inside the daily allowance and costs nothing but fuel and time. A kitchen refit at four bakkie loads runs past it, which means a second day at the gate or a bin on the property.
When Hout Bay Is Closed
Two municipal sites sit within reach once Hout Bay is shut or at capacity. Summer weekday and Sunday hours are shown; both close earlier between 1 May and 31 August.
| Alternative site | Address | Summer weekdays | Sundays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kommetjie | Kommetjie Road, Kommetjie | 08:00—20:00 | 09:00—17:00 |
| Wynberg | Rosmead Avenue, Wynberg | 08:00—20:30 | 09:00—17:00 |
Public holidays follow the Saturday timetable. The seasonal changeover falls on 1 September and 1 May, and the winter table applies from 1 May through 31 August.
When a Skip Costs Less Than the Trip
A drop-off site is free, which makes it the right answer for one or two sorted bakkie loads. The three-load ceiling and the 1,5-ton vehicle limit are what change the arithmetic on a bigger job: a room strip-out or a garden clearance runs past three loads, and Hout Bay's single access road makes each return trip slower than the distance suggests. Skip Hire Cape Town delivers a bin to the property from R700 all-inclusive of delivery, collection and licensed disposal, or sends a crew to load and haul when there is no room for a bin. Compare capacity on the skip sizes Cape Town guide, or read the skip hire prices ladder in full.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does the Hout Bay dump open?
Hout Bay opens at 07:00 on summer weekdays (1 September – 30 April) and 08:00 on winter weekdays (1 May – 31 August). It is the earliest opening of any City drop-off site.
Is the Hout Bay drop-off open on Sundays?
Yes. Hout Bay opens 09:00–13:00 on Sundays and 08:00–17:00 on Saturdays and public holidays.
Where is the Hout Bay dump?
The Hout Bay drop-off site is on Main Road near Mandela Road, Hout Bay.
Is the Hout Bay drop-off free?
Yes. Entry is free for households, limited to three loads per vehicle per day with a vehicle or trailer under 1,5 tons. Loads must be sorted before arrival.
Does Hout Bay take builders rubble?
Yes. Clean builder's rubble — broken bricks, sand, stone, cement and plaster — is accepted, provided no paper, plastic or timber is mixed through it.
Bins are delivered across the valley — skip bin hire Hout Bay. Full list: all 29 sites with hours and rules are on the Cape Town refuse drop-off sites guide.