Residents from the Vosho informal settlement in Khayelitsha have finally been relocated to serviced sites in Enkanini after days of delays caused by poor weather conditions.
The City of Cape Town said heavy rain forced officials to temporarily halt the relocation process to prevent damage to residents’ belongings and building materials.
The move began on 2 May, but operations were suspended on 4 May when wet conditions made it unsafe to continue. At the time, around a dozen families remained behind out of nearly 1,000 households scheduled for relocation. By Friday morning, community leaders confirmed that every outstanding family had been moved.
Khayelitsha Protest Over Delayed Relocation
Earlier this week, frustrated residents who had not yet been relocated staged a protest by blocking the busy Mew Way roadway in Cape Town, demanding that the City complete the process without further delay.
The relocation forms part of an upgrade project aimed at moving residents from a flood-prone area to land equipped with basic services. The land opposite Baden Powell Drive has also been earmarked for a formal housing development.
On Wednesday, project steering committee member Mzwakhe Matshoba said residents were eager to leave Vosho because of difficult living conditions and persistent crime.
“They have no access to basic services here, so they are eyeing access to water taps and toilets at the new site,” he said. “When they go to work in the mornings, thugs break into their shacks and steal their belongings.”
Vosho Residents Describe Crime And Harsh Living Conditions
Matshoba said some families who had already dismantled their shacks in preparation for the move were forced to sleep outdoors during the delay.
“They are cold, and their building materials are scattered outside and exposed to the rain. They don’t have money to buy materials to rebuild their shacks,” he said.
Resident Sibongiseni Ntuli said he took apart his shack after expecting to relocate with the next group on Tuesday.
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“I took a day off work so I can relocate,” he said.
Ntuli, who works as a general worker in Killarney, said he was determined to leave after becoming a victim of crime.
“I want to leave because I have been a crime victim. Last Friday, thugs broke into my shack and stole my cellphone, laptop and food.”
City Says Relocation Supports Khayelitsha Upgrade Project
Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements Carl Pophaim said the relocation was intended to improve safety and support broader development plans in the area.
“The Vosho relocation residents were relocated for their safety and will form part of an upgrade project in the Khayelitsha area. Importantly, the site is not located on the beach but forms part of the broader Vosho relocation and upgrade project.”
