Today, Khayelitsha residents took their demands for electricity and improved service delivery to Eskom and the City of Cape Town. The march was organised by five social movements: Amadoda Qotho, Cry of the Xcluded, Isidima Sam, Langa for Men and the Movement for Change and Social Justice (MCSJ).
Community members highlighted pressing grievances, including persistent electrical issues, raw sewage entering residential properties, deteriorating roads, and the misuse of a local sports and youth development facility. They submitted formal memoranda outlining these issues. An Eskom representative formally accepted and signed the document on electrical infrastructure, while a City of Cape Town councillor received and signed the submission on broader service-delivery concerns.
Residents demand access to electricity
Access to electricity was one of the main issues behind the protest. Some residents remain without electricity after fires destroyed their homes, while others struggle to obtain electricity meter numbers and access help from the relevant authorities. Residents raised concerns about reporting their electricity problems but receiving only reference numbers, without the assistance needed to resolve their situations. For affected households, this means continuing to wait for solutions while facing the daily challenges of living without a reliable electricity supply.
Without electricity, some households rely on candles for light. However, buying candles daily adds a financial burden for families already struggling to access basic services. Candles also pose a serious fire risk, particularly in informal settlements where homes are built close to each other. In these conditions, a fire can spread quickly from one structure to another, putting an entire section of a community at risk.
Residents’ concerns are particularly significant in areas where families have already experienced house fires. Beyond losing their homes and belongings, affected households struggle to restore electricity and get the help they need.
The protesters want the relevant authorities to address outstanding electricity complaints, help households without meter numbers, and provide solutions for those still without power.
Eskom representatives signing the memorandum marked an important step in formally presenting residents’ demands. However, the community is still seeking practical solutions to the problems that prompted the protest.
Sewage entering homes raises health concerns
The protest also highlighted sewage problems affecting residents, with wastewater flowing along roads and entering people’s homes. Residents say the situation is affecting their living conditions and raising health concerns, particularly for children.
According to community members, children are repeatedly in and out of hospital amid the ongoing sewage problems. Residents are concerned about the potential health consequences of continued exposure to contaminated wastewater.
Sewage entering homes makes it hard for families to maintain a clean living environment. Residents are calling for urgent intervention to address the problem and prevent wastewater from continuing to flow into their houses.
The issue also affects residents with additional mobility challenges who depend on wheelchairs to move around their communities.
Sewage creates additional challenges for residents living with a disability
Among those affected is Khanyo Mantshi, a resident living with a disability who cannot walk and relies on a wheelchair for mobility.
Sewage flowing from the road reaches his wheelchair tyres, making it harder for him to move through the affected area. The wastewater also affects his hands, which he uses to operate and manoeuvre the wheelchair.
His experience highlights how poor sanitation and infrastructure can create additional barriers for people living with disabilities. While other residents must navigate the sewage to move around their neighbourhood, Mantshi also has to contend with wastewater coming into contact with the wheelchair he depends on for mobility.
For someone who relies on a wheelchair, keeping the tyres and hands clean can be particularly difficult when sewage flows along the roads. The situation raises concerns about accessibility, hygiene and the challenges faced by people with disabilities in an environment affected by poor sanitation.
The community is demanding that authorities address the sewage problem so residents can live in cleaner conditions and move around their neighbourhood without navigating wastewater.
Residents call for road repairs
Alongside the sewage concerns, residents are demanding repairs to damaged roads in the area.
Poor road conditions limit residents’ ability to move around their community and can make everyday journeys harder. When sewage also affects roads, the problems become even more challenging for pedestrians and people who use mobility aids.
For residents such as Mantshi, whose wheelchair tyres come into contact with sewage flowing from the road, the condition of local infrastructure has a direct effect on daily mobility.
Residents want the City of Cape Town to address the road and sewage problems affecting the area. They are calling for improvements that will make their neighbourhood safer, cleaner and more accessible.
A councillor’s signing of the service delivery memorandum at City of Cape Town offices formally placed these concerns before the municipality. Residents are now looking for action on the issues outlined in their demands.
Community wants youth development centre to serve its purpose
Another issue raised during the protest concerned a local sports and skills development centre intended to provide young people with opportunities to develop their talents and learn new skills.
Residents are concerned that people are using the facility to sell goods instead of serving its intended purpose. They want the centre reopened or returned to its original function so young people can access the opportunities it was established to provide.
Sports and skills development facilities give young people spaces to participate in activities, build practical skills, and explore their interests. Residents believe the centre should be available to community youth rather than used for purposes that do not align with its intended role.
Their demand reflects broader concerns about access to opportunities for young people and the need for community facilities to benefit the people they were established to serve.
Residents want the relevant authorities to address the situation and ensure that the centre can fulfil its intended role in supporting youth development.
Residents await action on their demands
The six-hour protest brought together several concerns affecting daily life in Khayelitsha, from access to electricity and the risk of fires to sewage entering homes, damaged roads and limited opportunities for young people.
The experiences raised by residents, including Khanyo Mantshi’s difficulties navigating sewage in his wheelchair, highlight how inadequate services and infrastructure can affect people differently, particularly those who are already vulnerable.
Submitting memorandums to Eskom and the City of Cape Town offices gave the community an opportunity to formally present its demands to the relevant authorities. Eskom representatives and a councillor signed to acknowledge receipt of the respective memorandums, although further action is needed to establish how and when the concerns will be addressed.
Residents are calling for practical solutions to the problems affecting their homes and neighbourhood. Their demands extend beyond electricity to include safe living conditions, functioning infrastructure, improved sanitation and access to facilities that support young people.
The key question after the march is how the relevant authorities will respond to the demands and what steps they will take to address the community’s concerns.
By: Blessed Juqu, Thuthukile Nyawose and Zintle Ndawose