In Bellville, women are taking their seats at the table, thanks to The Northern Collective, recently launched by The Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP). This powerful new invitation-only circle of influential women has been brought together to shape the future of the region and drive more coordinated, inclusive urban growth across the region.
At a time when cities are being redefined by collaboration rather than hierarchy, The Northern Collective positions women as strategic shapers at the centre of influence rather than just participants in development conversations.
Officially announced at the GTP Mayor’s Annual Dinner on 25 May 2026, and originally conceptualised in January 2026, the initiative convenes quarterly and brings together over 16 high-impact female leaders from business, government, education, media, development, and civic life.
Together, senior representatives from Metropolitan, NED, V&A Waterfront, Old Mutual, Nando’s, Medi-Clinic, Company Partners, UWC, Sanlam Foundation, Sanlam Sky, Heineken, Tyger Valley Centre, Eris, CPUT, and Astron Energy form a focused leadership circle designed to foster alignment and collaboration in areas where division has long existed. According to Nasmera Buckus, Chief Operating Officer of GTP, the initiative responds to a critical gap in the region.
“The Northern Collective was born from the recognition that many of the women shaping the Northern Suburbs are already doing powerful work, but usually in isolation and without a shared platform to align that influence,” says Buckus. “This is about moving from individual impact to collective momentum.”
She adds that the initiative reflects GTP’s broader vision of inclusive urban development that is built on infrastructure, investment, relationship building, trust, and coordinated leadership across sectors.
Bellville is uniquely positioned for this female-led approach, with its growing role as one of Cape Town’s most important economic and innovation nodes requiring deeper alignment between public, private, and civic leadership.
“What makes the GTP so effective is its ability to turn collaboration into tangible outcomes. Their ongoing work in Bellville is creating the right environment for inclusive growth, stronger communities and sustained urban transformation, and we are excited to be on this journey with them,” says Portia Hammond from Sanlam Sky, which is a member of The Northern Collective.
The platform is designed to bring together women who already hold influence across multiple systems and create a structured space where that influence can be directed toward shared priorities such as economic inclusion, community wellbeing, placemaking, and sustainable development. Rather than duplicating existing efforts, the Collective seeks to amplify them, ensuring that leadership conversations translate into coordinated action and long-term regional benefit.
From Dialogue to Deals and Development
A core objective of this collective is to convert leadership alignment into tangible opportunity pathways for the region. “The intention is to ensure that influence at the leadership level is directly connected to opportunity at the community level, particularly for SMMEs, informal traders, and emerging entrepreneurs who form the backbone of the local economy,” explains Buckus.
The launch of The Northern Collective comes at a crucial moment for Bellville, which continues to emerge as one of Cape Town’s most strategically significant urban centres for investment, innovation, and regeneration.
GTP’s broader work in circular economy development, informal trading support, public space revitalisation, and skills development and job creation, all of which provide poverty relief, has already demonstrated the impact of coordinated, place-based interventions. The Northern Collective builds on this foundation by strengthening the leadership ecosystem around it.
“As South Africa moves forward, real progress will increasingly be defined by how effectively women are supported and elevated into leadership. At Metropolitan, we have long championed the growth and empowerment of women in positions of authority, and initiatives like The Northern Collective are an important extension of that commitment in practice,” says Santel van Zyl from Metropolitan.
The track record of GTP’s environmental sustainability initiatives in Bellville demonstrates the value of partnership-driven urban development. Through its circular economy initiatives, waste has been diverted from landfill, while school-based environmental programmes have driven both behavioural change and measurable environmental impact.
Informal trading interventions have strengthened local economic participation while improving public space functionality and trader dignity, and urban design initiatives have helped transform neglected areas into safer, more active community spaces.
These successes reflect a core principle that underpins the Northern Collective. When collaboration is intentional, impact becomes scalable. “The Northern Collective are building a bigger and brighter future. After all, we are better and stronger only when we work together,” concludes Buckus.
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