Vocal shack dwellers living along the railway lines on Cape Town’s busy transport routes told the national ministers of human settlements, transport and public works engaging them about resettlement they were not interested in “political affiliations”.
Ministers Mmamoloko Kubayi, Sindisiwe Chikunga and Sihle Zikalala visited Langa and Phillipi on Monday where a sea of shacks has mushroomed on land owned by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa). There are about 1,200 families living on Prasa land in Langa and close to 900 shacks in Phillipi.
The ministers met shack dwellers at the Ruth First community hall in Phillipi. Prasa is working to revive the long-neglected commuter rail network in the city and intends to move people living less than 10m away from the tracks by the end of the month. The restoration project will place a financial burden on taxpayers.
Kubayi blamed the City of Cape Town for a delay in purchasing land for relocation. She said her department had given the city money to purchase land for the shack dwellers but that money was returned to the Treasury. Kubayi said she had since lodged an intergovernmental dispute with the city and if not resolved, she would go to court.
“There are two land parcels. The first has been purchased. The second has not been purchased because the city returned the money to the National Treasury,” she said.
“So until we get the money back, we will not be able to purchase the land. It’s a bit of a challenge because the National Treasury confirmed that they received the money from the city. That’s why from Prasa’s point of view, we need to shift people so that they can operate. Until we have the land in our hands, we still have challenges.”
Kubayi said city officials were invited to the meeting but “decided not to come.
“That’s why I have lodged an intergovernmental dispute and continue to say there is a reason and basis for that dispute and we are eagerly waiting for that process to happen. As the department of human settlements, we are not finding any co-operation and collaboration from the City of Cape Town,” said Kubayi.
“The mayor was clear that he is not going to get involved, it is not his problem. And I don’t understand where these people belong because they belong to the City of Cape Town. They don’t belong to the national government. It’s an unfortunate situation and what we have decided as national government, is that we will continue to engage the communities and approach the National Treasury.
“We are doing everything in our power to try to resolve the problem. To me, it’s not about who was wrong and who should have done what. I have a situation on my hands where people are sitting on Prasa land and they need to move. My duty ... is the provision of shelter to the most vulnerable — if there are women and children there, I have a responsibility to provide for them.”
Zanele Ngcobongwana, the leader of the shack dwellers who live on the Phillipi line, said they were not “interested in political affiliations” and just wanted better places to live.
“We want the trains to be restored because taxis are costly. What makes us angry is attending meetings. This dates back to days when Fikile Mbalula was transport minister,” she said.
“We were promised a lot of things and these things are irritating. The situations we come from are not the same as the ones you come from. I used to say I hate government processes because they take time, and they are bedevilled by corruption and lies. The project is moving at a snail’s pace. We don’t have toilets. People come here and promise all manner of things to gain publicity and nothing happens,” said Ngcobongwana.
Ngcobongwana said if it was not for slain community activist Loyiso Nkohla’s intervention, they would have been evicted without an alternative place to live. Nkohla was shot at the Phillipi train station in April.
“You keep telling us about legislation that we don’t understand. We are not mad that we could go and live in a swamp. We are also human. We were hit hard by Covid-19. We don’t want political affiliations in this project,” she said.
Ngcobongwana then took aim at President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa keeps quiet while people are dying. This is a presidential project — he should intervene,” she said.
“The City of Cape Town never co-operated from the beginning. We will be moved for three months and placed somewhere but we also need a permanent solution. Let’s not pretend that things are well. Some of you woke up in hotels, but we woke up in a filthy place. We don’t have toilets; we use plastics and throw them in the neighbourhood. We don’t have water and electricity. Our parents are on medication. We live in filth. We signed a social compact, but nothing is coming our way. We want trains about they won’t function if we don’t get what we are asking for.”
Mxoleleni Ngutyana, the leader of the community living on Prasa land in Langa, echoed Ngcobongwana’s sentiments.
“We have lost four kids who were electrocuted because we have illegal power connections. The kids were playing and leant against the shacks and died. We need toilets,” he said.
In a statement after the meeting, the city said it was “playing its role as the independent planning authority which must preside over Prasa and the Housing Development Agency’s (HAD) application for the relocation of the Prasa central line unlawful occupants.
“The city is required to impartially administer this application process under the municipal planning bylaw, and continues to assist Prasa’s implementing agent, the HDA, to pass compliance and completion checks for their submission dated August 10 2023. No resubmission has been received to date,” it read.
“The central line was subjected to a land invasion just before the national Covid-19 lockdown.”
The city said Prasa approached the high court for an eviction order, having failed to secure its land against unlawful occupation.
“The order includes the provision of alternative emergency occupation, with Prasa appointing HDA to undertake land acquisition, planning approval applications and relocation of the unlawful occupants.
“As per the signed intergovernmental protocol agreement, Prasa and HDA as its appointed agent, are responsible for the relocation, while the city’s role is limited to that of planning authority and the provision of basic services.”
For “months, city officials have held detailed engagements with Prasa and the HDA’s appointed planning consultants to support their submission of a development application, which was submitted on August 10.
“Officials continue to support the HDA to pass compliance and completion checks for the application.
“The city was neither the applicant in this eviction, nor is it the landowner of the unlawfully occupied line or the proposed land for relocation. Prasa and their agent, the HDA, are fully responsible for the relocation and obtaining the necessary funding and approvals for this,” the statement reads.
“The city has repeatedly and consistently made it clear that it will not take responsibility for Prasa’s central line relocation programme, or the buying of land for another government entity.
“The city wants to see trains running in Cape Town, and that includes the devolution of passenger rail for the city to run in the best interests of commuters.”
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