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In March 2023, ActionSA Western Cape filed a formal complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) regarding the appalling violation of human rights endured by the Siqalokutsha Community in Khayelitsha, City of Cape Town. Despite residing there for the past three years, these families have been deprived of basic services such as toilets, water, and waste disposal services.

We are pleased to report that, in response to ActionSA's complaint to the SAHRC, the City of Cape Town (CoCT) has taken steps to alleviate the dire situation in Siqalokutsha by providing residents with a limited number of chemical toilets.

Yesterday, ActionSA conducted an oversight visit to Siqalokutsha, during which we discovered that the municipality had supplied a total of 11 chemical toilets for the 189 households that make up the Siqalokutsha Community. Unfortunately, this means that 17 households are forced to share a single toilet facility, highlighting the severity of the issue.

While ActionSA acknowledges that this provision serves as a temporary solution and that the CoCT has communicated to the SAHRC that it is working towards connecting the community to existing water and sanitation infrastructure, we strongly urge the City of Cape Town to adhere to the Housing Code of 2009. This code outlines the standards for emergency housing programmes and stipulates that, at the very minimum, an acceptable standard requires one VIP toilet for every five families.

ActionSA is unwavering in its commitment to ensuring that South Africans living without access to basic services are treated with dignity and respect while receiving the services guaranteed by our Constitution.

ActionSA remains dedicated to advocating for the well-being of the impoverished, marginalized, and forgotten individuals in the Western Cape.

Issued by ActionSA Western Cape Provincial Chairperson, Michelle Wasserman