Khayelitsha sinkholes saga: Residents can't occupy homes, cook or sleep

Families have had to vacate their homes in the SST section of Town Two, Khayelitsha, as the ground beneath them has collapsed. When the ground opens up, the shacks are engulfed by a terrible stench. Community leader Mzikazi Twani said she has counted eight such incidents recently.

Collapsing sewer pipes are the cause. GroundUp reported on the same issue in January 2024.

Zizipho Captain said her neighbour fell into a hole. ‘’We heard him shout to us that he was sinking,’’ she said.

He has since vacated his shack.

Captain said people fear for their children because of the sinkholes.

Gcobani Caphu, a grade 10 learner, said that on Saturday night ‘’we just saw our tiled floor fall inwards and a sinkhole widen”.

He now stays with his neighbour.

‘’We can’t enter the shack, cook and sleep because we don’t feel safe inside it,’’ said Caphu.

Mayco Member for Water and Sanitation Siseko Mbandezi said the problem is in the same sewer line that was blocked in 2024, but this time it is further upstream.

“Several requests for relocation [of shacks and their households] were submitted to enable the appointment of an emergency contractor to carry out the necessary repairs.”

Mbandezi said the situation is “a serious safety concern”.

“Unfortunately, the City’s ability to implement effective safety measures is limited without access to the line. Although the sunken areas have previously been filled with milling material to temporarily reduce the risk, this measure is unsustainable and does not address the root cause of the problem.”

Mayco Member for Human Settlements Carl Pophaim said, “It is important to note that the informal settlement was formed in a stormwater retention pond.”

“Our teams, together with the political leadership, are working to identify areas for the relocation of the affected families … immediately when we do get secure available land.”

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