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People’s Post
KENSINGTON
Locals suffer water woes KAYLYNNE BANTOM KAYLYNNE.BANTOM@MEDIA24.COM
I
magine having to lick your school going child’s hands clean just so that he can look presentable at school. Hard to imagine, right? Now try doing this when facing a deadly pandemic. This is how a Kensington mother from an informal settlement in 18th Avenue in Kensington had to sanitise her child’s hands because they don’t have access to running water. Neville Crouch, a resident and a committee member of the 18th Avenue informal settlement, says no taps and a lack of services from the City of Cape Town is an everyday headache. Crouch says some residents, who have been living on the open piece of land for many years, were backyard dwellers and have been on the housing database for several years. He says they are finding it especially difficult now with the outbreak of Covid-19. “This land does not belong to the City; it belongs to the department of public works. The owner of the land is aware that we are living here, and we have an agreement with him. So, it’s not like we are squatting illegally,” claims Crouch. Fellow resident Doris Thorn says the City has made several promises to provide them with basic services, but nothing materialises. “We were promised toilets, flood lights and running water, but we get nothing.” Thorn further explains that just a few metres away from them in Voortrekker Road a large tent for the group of refugees who lived in the City Bowl was erected. “They moved in and received water, toilets and they even have a generator there.” Leslie Swartz, chair of the KenFac Residents and Ratepayers Association (KFRRA), echoed Thorn’s sentiments. He says the refugees gained immediate access to services which residents from the seven informal settlements in the Kensington and Maitland area have been pleading for, for years. Malusi Booi, Mayco member for human settlements, admits that the land in question is pri-
vately owned but does not believe that the residents were granted permission by the owner. He says the City can only provide basic services in terms of normal basic service provision on suitable privately-owned land should the owner grant permission for this, and the City be able to do so. “The current occupants have illegally invaded the land without consent. It is unlikely that the landowners have given their permission to install basic services, let alone electricity given that the owners do not support the land invasion,” says Booi. Swartz says: “Before the lockdown the president announced that those living in informal settlements will receive water tankers, yet these residents received nothing.” Xanthea Limberg, Mayco member for water and waste, says: “As part of the City’s emergency response to Covid-19, informal settlements identified for the roll-out of the water tanks programme were prioritised based on the size of the settlement: therefore, according to the number of people who have limited access to water. As such this particular settlement was not identified as part of this enhanced services programme.” Fadia Gamieldien, a founder of KenFac Community Action Network (CAN), says at the start of the lockdown the residents did not receive any water. “KenFac CAN members highlighted the plight of the informal settlements and since March a water truck comes to drop water, but when services are disrupted then they don’t have water.” Resident Ilona Crouch says when the water truck arrives and a resident is not home, he would have to wait until the following day to get water again. She says with the help of two generous donors they were sponsored with two 2 500F JoJo water tanks. “We would like the city to fill these tanks which will be used to wash our clothes and start a vegetable garden. But even this is a fight with the City,” says Crouch. Limberg says the City’s water tanks are installed according to strict health and safety protocols, and they cannot take responsibility for the other tanks, which have been installed by a third party. Crouch says: “All we want is for the City to treat us like residents of this country.”
Residents line up for water. The water truck comes once per day. PHOTO: KAYLYNNE BANTOM