Fears are mounting among Island informal settlement residents, in Site B, following a mysterious collapse of the area’s drainage system.
According to outraged residents, the system began showing cracks almost a month ago. The cracks got bigger daily until the system completely collapsed, causing panic in the community. The residents are now worried that the damage is putting their lives at risk. Two families had to vacate their shacks in the aftermath.
When City Vision visited the area on Tuesday 12 April the two abandoned shacks were locked. Another shack, which has two bedrooms and a kitchen, was packed to capacity. Family members were crammed in one room while another room was empty. It has been damaged by the collapse.
Resident Nosabelo Mbalu said anything can happen to them. “We are living by God’s grace,” she said, adding. “We are scared because we don’t know when are our shacks going to sink in.”
Soon after the disaster, Mbalu said they reported the matter to Lukhanyo Simangweni, Ward 90 councillor. “Our concern is our children because they can get injured. The damage was cordoned off with red tape but it was removed by unknown people. All the shacks that are affected have been left hanging in the air,” she said.
Fellow resident Nokuthula Kewana said she has also be forced to abandon her main bedroom. She now sleeps in the kitchen with her kids. “This whole thing started on Tuesday 15 March. The ground started to have cracks and it was shaking when we walked. The following day the cracks became bigger and expanded. Then as the days went by the drain started to sink bit by bit until it was like this,” she explained.
The residents are now calling for better living conditions.
Kewana stated that they are willing to move anywhere as long they will be safe. “I arrived here in 2003 and at that time there were already other shacks. Councillors come and go but no one has ever been relocated to the houses here. We are begging the City to give us houses,” she said.
In an interview with City Vision, Simangweni stated that he is aware of the situation. He added that he raised it with the City of Cape Town officials.
“The City employees are going to start relocating affected families,” he said.
Simangweni said feedback from the council workers highlighted a broken underground pipe. “So, we identified 10 shacks that are going to be removed and will be temporarily relocated to an open space at D section,” said Simangweni. However, he could not give time frames in addressing the problem.
While he was unsure about the housing development plans for the area, he vowed to engage with the relevant City departments.