Tubby rips Aussies after Cape Town disaster

Three years after the crisis began, families in the Siyakhana informal settlement in Khayelitsha still lack access to taps and toilets. To meet basic needs, they drink from a rusty fire hydrant, defecate in buckets, and spend their social grants on purchased water. In November 2023, city officials announced they were exploring options to help the community, but three years later, the situation remains unchanged.

City spokesperson Carl Pophaim stated that the municipality is investigating feasible options, and a department of public works official confirmed that relocation would require permission from the national Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. This department is currently in talks with the city and plans to transfer the property to the city and the Housing Development Agency.

Despite these efforts, residents continue to face challenges. Community leader Nzondi Javu, who lives with her three children, collects water from the fire hydrant daily, fearing its dirty condition. She and others in the settlement struggle to afford clean water and often rely on borrowing or purchasing it at local shops. Javu's children relieve themselves in a bucket inside their shack, which is emptied into a nearby drain, a practice that takes a toll on her physical well-being.