Residents of 18 municipal flats in Gugulethu are living in deteriorating conditions, with sewage problems affecting several blocks. Dura Flats and Nobantu are among the buildings reportedly experiencing poor conditions, while residents of the Dairy Belle hostel have allegedly been without functioning toilets for years.
Gugulethu families say they are still living with overflowing sewage, broken toilets and leaking roofs after years of complaints to the City of Cape Town, with residents at one hostel forced to use toilets in a neighbouring area, including at night.
Residents of Nobantu, Dairy Belle and Dura hostels say they have repeatedly asked the municipality to fix the conditions.
At Nobantu, more than 300 people are estimated to live in 120 rooms, while residents at Dura have raised concerns about uncovered drains and a child’s alleged drowning two years ago. The City says repairs are under way at some hostel facilities, but its broader upgrade programme remains dependent on funding from provincial and national government.
Mtshutshisi Lise, chairperson of the Nobantu hostel, said he first arrived at the hostel in 1969 as a labourer from the Eastern Cape. He described the living conditions as inhumane.
“People are sick here. The conditions are inhumane. It’s not normal for humans to live with sewage. We have reported this to the government. We have been stuck with these filthy and smelly toilets since 2010. The City of Cape Town has been promising, but no actions,” Lise said.
He estimated that the hostel has 120 rooms and is home to more than 300 people.
Lise said the municipality had promised to upgrade the hostels and improve living conditions, but residents were still waiting.
“The municipality promised to fix these flats and make them as beautiful as those in Langa, Khikhi or those in Mfuleni. They promised us development around 2007 but until to date, nothing. We are suffering a lot, some people have TB here and more other illnesses. People even relieve themselves on the floor, when the toilets are locked,” he said.
Nobantu hostel resident Mtshutshisi Lise
Residents forced to find toilets outside their hostel
At the nearby Dairy Belle hostel, residents say they have been without functioning toilets for years.
Ondela Mkhiva said residents have to rely on facilities at nearby New Rest, a situation that creates particular difficulties for families with children.
“We live painfully. We don't have toilets, they were blocked long ago. We ask from a nearby New Rest to relieve ourselves. And we have kids, it is a serious challenge even worse during the night. It's been years and the problem has been ongoing. We fix them and the block again. We have reported this numerous times,” Mkhiva said.
At Dura hostel, resident Mziyanda Mnqwazi said he had lived there for 20 years and had watched the condition of the building deteriorate.
“Everything is broken here, the windows, toilets are filled with water. This issue started around 2019. After a contractor who was sent did a shoddy job. They left without finishing their work and things just worsened,” he said.
Mnqwazi said residents had reported the problems to the City, but had not seen the promised improvements.
“The roof is leaking in the whole hall. We have reported these issues, a municipal official had promised to come last month but never came,” he said.
He also raised concerns about rats and the health of children living in the hostel.
“We can’t accept these living conditions. There are rats here and they damage our cars. Everything is wrong here, we need help. There are many kids who have gotten sick also as a result,” Mnqwazi said.
Gugulethu Flats Residents of 18 municipal flats in Gugulethu are living in deteriorating conditions and are calling for urgent intervention to address sanitation problems and improve living conditions.
Resident raises alarm over uncovered drain
Another resident, identified only as Rudzani, said he had lived at the hostel for 22 years.
He accused the City of carrying out repairs that addressed only part of the problem, leaving other sections of the hostel in poor condition.
“The City of Cape Town came and fixed the roof only on the block near the road. So that passers will think this place is well,” he said.
Rudzani also alleged that a child drowned in a drain at the hostel two years ago and died. He said the drain had still not been closed and that some other drains had no covers, forcing residents to make their own arrangements.
City says hostel upgrades depend on funding
The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Carl Pophaim, said Lingelihle hostels were scheduled for upgrades during the current financial year.
He said repairs and upgrades were also under way at several other hostel facilities across the metro, including blocks in the Gugulethu area.
In the longer term, the City has proposed a Hostel Transformation Programme aimed at improving living conditions and the broader residential environment for existing residents.
However, Pophaim said implementation depended on funding from the Provincial Department of Infrastructure and the National Department of Human Settlements.
“The funding and implementation proposal submitted by the City has not yet received the necessary approvals. Discussions with both departments regarding funding for future hostel transformation projects are ongoing. The availability of funding remains the primary constraint to implementing the broader transformation programme,” he said.
Dura and Nobantu hostels are among the buildings reportedly experiencing poor conditions, while residents of the Dairy Belle hostel have allegedly been without functioning toilets for years.
Pophaim said the City was also exploring alternative approaches should the required external funding not be secured.
In the meantime, repairs and upgrades were continuing through the City's approved internal funding, which he said was limited and had to be prioritised.
“Further information on implementation plans and timelines will be communicated as these are finalised. The City is currently carrying out repairs and upgrades to several hostel flats across the metro including the Lingelihle blocks and others in the Gugulethu area,” Pophaim said.
The City's response comes amid longstanding concerns about delays and contractor problems affecting housing projects in Gugulethu.
For residents of Nobantu, Dairy Belle and Dura, however, the immediate concerns remain basic: functioning toilets, working drains, safe buildings and living conditions that do not expose families to sewage and other hazards.