The Cape Flats is the wide, flat sandy plain that stretches from the mountain towards False Bay, home to a huge share of Cape Town's people. Pest problems differ from suburb to suburb, but the common thread is sandy ground, a high water table in winter and a lot of homes built close together.
Rat Control by suburb
We cover all 24 suburbs on our Cape Flats route. Each suburb page covers what we find there and what works for those streets and buildings.
City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard 26 areas
Southern Suburbs 29 areas
South Peninsula 17 areas
Northern Suburbs 16 areas
Blaauwberg & West Coast 10 areas
Cape Flats 24 areas
Rats across the Cape Flats
Rats are the biggest pest problem across the Cape Flats, from Athlone and Gugulethu to Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha. Most are brown rats living at ground level: in rubble piles, under Wendy houses and backyard rooms, and in burrows along walls where the sand is soft. Rats breed quickly, so a few in a yard become a colony in one season, and homes that share boundary walls end up sharing the problem too.
The timing of a treatment matters here. Before the winter rain, rats are still in their outdoor burrows and take bait readily, so autumn is the best time to deal with them. If a whole street treats at the same time, the rats have nowhere nearby to move to, and the result lasts much longer than one house on its own.
Which rat is in your Cape Flats home?
Brown rat
Rattus norvegicus- Norway rat
- Sewer rat
- Family Muridae
- Body
- Heavy and thickset
- Nose
- Blunt and rounded
- Ears
- Small, furry, close to head
- Tail
- Shorter than its body
- Weight
- 250 to 500 g
- Droppings
- Up to 2 cm, blunt ends
- Burrow holes along walls, under paving and sheds
- Greasy rub marks low down along skirting and walls
- Gnawed bins, compost heaps and pet food bags
- Coming up through drains and broken sewer pipes
Black rat
Rattus rattus- Roof rat
- Ship rat
- Family Muridae
- Body
- Slim and agile
- Nose
- Pointed
- Ears
- Large, thin, almost bare
- Tail
- Longer than its body
- Weight
- 150 to 250 g
- Droppings
- About 1.2 cm, pointed
- Scratching and running in the ceiling at night
- Droppings in the roof space, cupboards and on beams
- Chewed cables, insulation and ceiling boards
- Running along fences, power lines and tree branches
ActiveBusierPeak, as rats move indoors in the cold, wet winter
How to tell you have a problem
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
Worth knowing
Rats are neophobic, which means they avoid new things. A trap that has not been touched for a few days is not a failure; it often works after they get used to it.
Our process, step by step
First we identify the rat and track its route, because a roof rat problem is solved at the roof line and a Norway rat problem at ground level and in the drains. In the roof and inside the house we prefer heavy-duty snap traps, so there is no smell from a rat dying in the ceiling. Outdoors we use lockable, tamper-resistant bait stations, positioned along runs and fixed so they cannot be moved, and we do a bait risk assessment where pets, children or owls are around. Then we proof: steel mesh over vents, sealing gaps around pipes and cables, and advice on trimming branches. Burrows are treated and collapsed after the colony is dealt with.
- Identify the rat
We look at droppings, tracks and entry points to tell a roof rat from a Norway rat.
- Find the runs
We trace the routes from nest to food, inside and outside the property.
- Traps and stations
Snap traps go inside and locked bait stations outside, placed on the actual runs.
- Proofing
Gaps, vents and roof entry points are closed with steel mesh and cement.
- Follow-up check
We return to check traps and stations, adjust the plan and leave a report.
Prevention that actually works
- Do not leave building rubble or wood piles against the house for months.
- Keep compost in a closed bin and do not add meat or cooked food.
- Pick up fallen fruit, avocados and pet food every evening.
- Store feed and bird seed in metal bins with tight lids.
- Fit drain covers and check that old drain pipes are not broken underground.
Pricing, honestly
Price depends on the size of the property, which rat species you have and how many entry points need proofing. A roof rat problem with lots of overhanging trees takes more proofing work than a single burrow in the garden. Follow-up visits are part of most rat jobs and are included in the free quote.
One rat in a garden shed can be caught with a decent snap trap and some patience. Rats in the roof are smart and cautious, and loose poison from the shop often ends with a smell in the ceiling and a sick dog, so I would call someone in once they are in the house.
Questions we get asked in Cape Flats
Will poison make the rats smell in the ceiling?
It can, which is why we prefer traps in the roof and keep bait in outside stations.
Does winter flooding push rats into homes on the Cape Flats?
Yes. When the water table rises and drains back up, rats are flushed out of their burrows and look for dry shelter in houses and outbuildings, so baiting and sealing gaps in April or May, before the heavy rain, pays off.
Is it worth getting the whole street treated for rats on the Cape Flats?
Yes. Rats move between yards along shared walls, so neighbours treating at the same time leaves them nowhere nearby to go. Ask us about a joint quote for several homes.
How do I know if it is rats or mice?
Rat droppings are much larger, roughly raisin-sized, and rats are noisier. Send a photo of the droppings on WhatsApp and we will tell you.
Are rats dangerous to my children?
Rats can bite and spread disease through urine and droppings, so it is worth dealing with them quickly.
Can you get rid of rats near a river or canal?
Yes, but properties near water usually need ongoing stations and good proofing, because new rats keep arriving.
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