The community called themselves “Siyahlala” (we are staying). However, leaders agreed to a move to Philippi with the assistance of the National Housing Agency.
Siyahlala community leader Xolisa Silimela said he and others moved to the tracks in 2018 because they could no longer afford to pay rent and had no other place to go.
Two pieces of land in Philippi have been bought to accommodate about 1,500 structures and residents will move to the new sites on November 29.
The process has taken more than a year of negotiations between government entities including the Passenger Rail Agency of SA and the City of Cape Town.
Stakeholder regional manager for the National Housing Agency Mbulelo Ncedana said in phase 2 of the plan those living on the railway line in Philippi and Khayelitsha will be relocated.
“In phase 2 we should have concluded land procurement before the end of this year. Once we conclude the land procurement processes, we’ll start with the programme that must see us relocating the people of Philippi, hopefully before the end of next year.”
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WATCH | Langa residents agree to move off central line train tracks
Agreement will see them relocated to Philippi in November
Cape Town is one step closer to having its central railway line up and running again after people living on the tracks in Langa agreed to move.
The railway line hasn’t operated since 2019 due to vandalism, cable theft and informal houses erected on the tracks.
Community leaders and government entities came together on Thursday to sign a social compact with regards to the agreement.
“My interest with my team is to get the trains running and it has taken us a painstakingly lot of time. Most people are using this line so when the trains are not working at full capacity, we know who is hardest hit: it is the working class,” transport minister Fikile Mbalula said at an event in Langa.
The community called themselves “Siyahlala” (we are staying). However, leaders agreed to a move to Philippi with the assistance of the National Housing Agency.
Siyahlala community leader Xolisa Silimela said he and others moved to the tracks in 2018 because they could no longer afford to pay rent and had no other place to go.
Two pieces of land in Philippi have been bought to accommodate about 1,500 structures and residents will move to the new sites on November 29.
The process has taken more than a year of negotiations between government entities including the Passenger Rail Agency of SA and the City of Cape Town.
Stakeholder regional manager for the National Housing Agency Mbulelo Ncedana said in phase 2 of the plan those living on the railway line in Philippi and Khayelitsha will be relocated.
“In phase 2 we should have concluded land procurement before the end of this year. Once we conclude the land procurement processes, we’ll start with the programme that must see us relocating the people of Philippi, hopefully before the end of next year.”
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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