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Residents of Khayelitsha and Langa have welcomed a damning report by public protector Kholeka Gcaleka, saying it validates years of complaints about overflowing sewage, uncollected refuse, deteriorating roads, inadequate infrastructure and poor access to basic municipal services.On Tuesday, Gcaleka released the findings of a systemic investigation into the City of Cape Town’s alleged failure to provide basic municipal services in the two townships. The investigation, launched in 2022, followed complaints received during the public protector’s annual roadshows in the Western Cape in 2022 and 2023.The report details findings, observations and remedial actions relating to service delivery at the N2 Gateway rental housing development, the relocation of families in Khayelitsha to allow for sewer repairs, and safety and security measures at two municipal clinics.Chairperson of the Khayelitsha Development Forum executive committee, Eric Kweleta, said the findings reflected concerns the organisation had consistently raised over many years.“The report confirms what residents, community organisations and civic structures have consistently raised for many years, that the provision of basic municipal services has not been rendered progressively and effectively in accordance with the constitution and applicable legislation. The findings validate the lived experiences of our communities and underscore the urgent need for accountable, people-centred governance,” he said.The public protector found that while the city had implemented several interventions, longstanding challenges continue to undermine residents’ constitutional rights.Gcaleka said the investigation found that the two clinics under review serve densely populated communities and that existing security measures were inadequate. The facilities operate only during the day and do not have resident doctors.She said the city repeatedly attributed delays in implementing critical interventions to budgetary and resource constraints.We would want to see the residents of Khayelitsha being provided, in the long term, with proper housing. We understand there is a housing backlog across South Africa, but we want to see the city addressing these basic municipal service challenges while restoring the dignity guaranteed by the constitution. — Adv Nelisiwe Nkabinde, public protector COO“The evidence further demonstrates that significant portions of the municipal budget have been diverted or reprioritised as a result of unforeseen circumstances, including land invasions, vandalism of public infrastructure, criminality and escalating maintenance demands associated with rapidly growing informal settlements. “These factors have increased the financial burden on the municipality and have affected its ability to progressively realise the constitutional rights of residents to access basic municipal services,” Gcaleka said.Public protector chief operations officer Adv Nelisiwe Nkabinde said the investigation was conducted jointly with city officials through several site inspections.“We would want to see the residents of Khayelitsha being provided, in the long term, with proper housing. We understand there is a housing backlog across South Africa, but we want to see the city addressing these basic municipal service challenges while restoring the dignity guaranteed by the constitution. Everyone should have adequate access to housing, water and other basic services that municipalities are required to provide,” she said.Nkabinde said the report shows there is still significant work to be done to address systemic shortcomings in municipal service delivery.In response, the City of Cape Town welcomed the report, saying it acknowledged the work already undertaken to address many of the concerns raised during the four-year investigation.The city also welcomed the public protector’s remedial action directed at the National Treasury and the department of human settlements, arguing that the report recognised the financial pressures municipalities face in delivering services without sufficient support from national government.Regarding the N2 Gateway rental housing development, the city said refuse collection, sewer maintenance and fire safety measures are already in place, while structural assessments have been completed. It added that although 94 households have valid rental agreements, hundreds of occupants have refused to sign or renew leases, meaning legal action may be necessary to regularise occupancy.The city further said the 10 families relocated in Khayelitsha to enable sewer repairs have access to water and sanitation, with an additional standpipe expected to be installed by mid-July. Electricity provision, it said, falls under Eskom, which has committed to connecting the households but has raised concerns about possible community unrest.On security at Matthew Goniwe Community Day Centre and Town Two Clinic, the city said both facilities comply with national fire safety standards and already have firefighting equipment and 24-hour security. Smoke detectors and CCTV cameras, as recommended by the public protector, will be installed once planned renovations are completed. The city said previous CCTV systems had repeatedly been vandalised or stolen.The municipality said it had cooperated fully with the public protector throughout the investigation and would submit a detailed response to the final report.Kweleta said the Khayelitsha Development Forum now expects the city, the Western Cape government and other stakeholders to implement the public protector’s remedial actions within the prescribed timeframes.He called for the urgent upgrading of sanitation and sewer infrastructure, improved waste collection, accelerated housing delivery, more transparent communication on housing projects, stronger systems for responding to community complaints, closer collaboration between government and residents, and regular public reporting on progress.“The people of Khayelitsha and Langa cannot be expected to continue living with conditions that undermine their dignity, health and safety. The time for decisive action is now,” he said.
