Informal settlement residents, demanding basic services from the City of Cape Town, blocked the busy Voortrekker Road on Wednesday morning.
The Gate 7 community which has been in existence for more than 10 years say they have no toilets, water or electricity.
They blocked the road with a small shipping container and stones, and also burned tyres.
Mom Funeka Mayongo says: “I’ve been living on this land for 15 years, we don’t have services. For us to relieve ourselves, we use our buckets and then either dig a hole to bury our poop or throw it in the bushes behind our homes. Our homes are small, I live with 10 children including two disabled children.”
She says there are elderly people with chronic illnesses.
“They need water and the only way we get water is by going to the tent with the refugees who are fortunate to have all the services.
“We have to wash the sickly people, some have died.”
Mayongo says to charge their cellphones, they hand them over to those who have jobs.
“The employed people take the phones (to charge at work) and we get the phones a day later sometimes.”
Her husband Lindile Manyana says it is difficult to extend their shack.
“We live in a tiny shack, we have no space, our children sleep on the floor. We ask that the City allows us to extend our shacks because they think that you are moving into the area (permanently when you build bigger shacks).”
Another resident Longezo Mnyaka says one of his children was sent home from school because of his creased shirt.
“I had to take him to my relatives in Du Noon to iron the shirt. The children can’t even do their assignments because we have no electricity and wifi.”
Ward councillor Cheslyn Steenberg says he met with the settlement’s leadership, officials, KenFac Ratepayers Association and the Kensington CPF.
“I was clear that this matter requires a very sensitive balancing process notwithstanding the right to water and sanitation, yet the respect to not occupy land illegally,” he says.
“The settlement further understands that they are unlawfully occupying private property and can be evicted by the owner of the land. I requested for the City Legal Services to intervene and spur the land owner on to secure the land by any means necessary.”
The City says because the informal settlement is situated on privately owned land, basic services can be provided with the permission of the land owner who has to apply for it to be installed on the property.
“In informal areas, the City assists residents with water and sanitation services, solid waste and electricity services where it is possible to do so, and where the settlement is not on privately-owned land.”