Digital nomads – the laptop-wielding new generation of remote workers – have found themselves at the sharp end of a debate in the South African city of Cape Town about whether or not they are good for the more permanent residents.

Supporters see the international influx as a financial boon and something to be encouraged, but their detractors are not so kind.

For 25-year-old South African social media content creator, Az’emahle Dyubeni, the city is facing a “digital nomad epidemic” that is pushing up housing and other costs.

Ms Dyubeni has lived in the beautiful coastal city all her life and says since Covid-19 the number of remote workers, mostly from the West, has increased substantially. Though no official figures exist, she is not alone in noticing a change.

“When I walk into a cafe I hear German, French, Dutch and American accents,” she tells the BBC, painting a vivid picture of the international flavour of Cape Town’s new workforce.

If all that is needed is a decent internet connection then why not set up in one of the world’s most picturesque cities?

With Table Mountain in the background, ocean vistas and a perfect summer climate, the attraction is obvious compared to a mundane, grey office cubicle.

On a TikTok video, Marley Rose Harris, who describes herself as a digital entrepreneur, calls the city the “most magical place in the world”.

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