Protesters block major Cape Town highway – demand water, electricity

Nosake Pali at her home in Ethembeni. She showed GroundUp a container and a washing basin in which she stores water, because taps are often dry. Photos: Vincent Lali

Khayelitsha residents barricaded Baden Powell Drive and Japhta Masemola Road in Cape Town with burning tyres on Friday, demanding water and electricity.

The protesters were from three informal settlements: Ethembeni, Empolweni and Island.

The protest lasted about three hours, forcing law enforcement officers to reroute motorists.

The protest comes two weeks after two shacks burned down in Ethembeni.

“When the shacks burned, we could not extinguish the fire because we have no water,” said protester Simanye Jevu. She said residents scrambled to scoop water from a reed-filled wetland.

Around 450 families rely on four taps in Ethembeni, according to a community leader.

“If two taps produce water, the other two don’t produce water. We have never enjoyed a reliable water supply ever since we settled here in 2020,” said community leader Vuyani Madikane.

Residents from three informal settlements blocked Baden Powell Drive with burning tyres on Friday morning.

Madikane said engagements with City of Cape Town water and sanitation officials were fruitless.

“Before we burn tyres, we engage with our ward councillor, who refers us to relevant officials, who also don’t help us,” said Madikane.

Madikane claimed a senior official promised to inspect the communal taps and toilets in Ethembeni, but did not do so.

“He said he would come three weeks ago and find out why the water taps produce little or no water and fix damaged toilets, but he didn’t come.”

He said residents in nearby Empolweni also have no water because the taps are damaged.

Jevu, who stays with her two kids and survives on their child support grants, said she pays teenagers R10 to collect 20 litres of water in Island informal settlement.

“If the city could give us reliable taps, I would use the money to buy food and do laundry more often.”

Nosake Pali, who stays with her two grandchildren and husband in Ethembeni, showed GroundUp a container and a washing basin in which she stores water. She said the water pressure from the taps drops from 7am.

Madikane also called for formal electricity to be installed. He said residents buy electrical wire and pay fixers R300 to connect to the grid illegally. “These illegal connections burn our shacks,” he said.

“If we don’t get a definite response, we will continue to burn tyres. But if they give us water and electricity, they will never see us burn tyres again.”

Questions have been sent to the City and Eskom. Responses will be added when received.

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