Public Protector Finds Cape Town Guilty of Neglecting Township Service Delivery
- Cape Town's mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, was ordered to present a service delivery report following the Public Protector's findings of maladministration
- Critical infrastructure issues in Langa Flats and Khayelitsha expose residents to significant health and safety risks
- City of Cape Town was also mandated to provide water access within 30 days to residents of the SST-Marikana informal settlement
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CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE— The Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, must table the service delivery report before the Municipal Council within 60 days following binding remedial action. Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka issued the directive after finding the city guilty of maladministration and failing to provide constitutionally required basic services to township residents.
According to IOL, Gcaleka's investigation followed specific community complaints from Langa Flats and Khayelitsha during outreach visits between 2022 and 2023. Gcaleka stated that resource limitations cannot indefinitely postpone basic human rights. The investigation revealed broken municipal sewer infrastructure, non-functional high-mast lights, unkempt communal areas, and a lack of water at the SST-Marikana informal settlement, exposing residents to crime and severe health hazards.
Cape Town ordered to fix township infrastructure
Gcaleka said the City of Cape Town must now provide residents of SST-Marikana access to water within 30 days. Furthermore, the Municipal Manager has 120 days to complete long-term repairs to broken sewer infrastructure in Langa and Khayelitsha. Gcaleka noted that while the municipality faces financial pressures, urbanisation, and vandalism, its failure to implement reasonable measures over three years established a pattern of improper conduct.
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The Western Cape MEC for Local Government will monitor the city's compliance quarterly to ensure the constitutional rights to dignity, safety, and adequate housing are protected. Public Protector Gcaleka also requested relevant national ministers to assess if the intergovernmental fiscal framework sufficiently supports municipalities that handle extensive informal settlement infrastructure backlogs.
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Cape Town Councillor shares repatriation challenges
In a related article, Briefly News reported on the challenges faced during the recent repatriation efforts in Cape Town, as shared by Ward 57 Councillor Yusuf Mohamed. The aftermath of these gatherings raised questions about sanitation facilities, leaving residents divided over the handling of the situation amidst the charity displayed by volunteers and emergency services.
Source: Briefly News
