On Tuesday, April 11, Khayelitsha residents took action against uncollected garbage at site C. In a protest, against the rubbish build-up, which has seen homes in Shukushukuma, a nearby informal settlement, flooded with sewerage, residents resorted to relocating the contents of their garbage bins to the City’s offices in Makhaya, reports IOL.
According to GroundUp, protesters claimed to have been living with blocked drains, stench and flooding for years. Protesters from Shukushukuma allegedly blocked the entrance to the City of Cape Town Civil Engineering Depot in Makhaya, throwing garbage-filled plastic bags into the premises.
Protest action follows numerous meetings with the Subcouncil 9 manager and ward councillor. According to GroundUp, the matter has been highlighted since June last year, 2020.
“We waited for the City to come to fix it but they did not,” said community leader Khaya Kama.
Follow-ups from the Kama were allegedly ignored, leaving community members to try and clean up the blockage themselves. Meanwhile, residents have been displaced by unsanitary flooding and stench.
“The smell is unbearable, this is not healthy, especially during a pandemic, we don’t expect our communities to be in such a situation, one crisis upon another. People are in danger, especially young people,” said Kama to IOL.
In response to protestors and questions directed by GroundUp, the City responded by stating that they are aware of the situation and are “mobilising role players to determine what could be done.”
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