The city's housing portfolio committee is being forced to decide whether it will take responsibility for dilapidated hostels in Gugulethu, which officials have described as a health hazard.
Residents of Masonwabe Park said the hostels, which house an estimated 40 families, were initially used by employees of Sun International Hotel.
But, said Dan Plato, mayoral committee member for housing, the ownership of the hostels is still in question.
"There was a collection of community trusts which were tasked to manage the hostels but the trustees have since disappeared because the tenants refused to pay rent, making it difficult to maintain the building.
"I am not really sure who owns the buildings," Plato said.
The picture that greeted a Cape Argus team who arrived Friday was one of broken and blocked drains, which gave rise to an overflow of urine; and children playing in large puddles of dirty water in the courtyard.
"Children often get sick here, they cough a lot because they play in the water," said resident Monde Salmana. Salmana admitted that residents did not pay rent and would resist any moves to have the buildings demolished.
"They are totally against moving, although the conditions are bad," Salmana said.
It is understood that the city has received correspondence from health officials who have suggested that Masonwabe and Sharpeville hostels be demolished.
Broken showers, toilets, sinks, a lack of stair rails, leaking roofs, cracked walls and sloping foundations are just some of the reasons cited.
However, Plato said no such decision had yet been made. "We still need to decide whether the city will take over this liability - are we willing to take it over."
Plato could not supply a time-frame for the decision, saying only that they needed to look at it urgently.
"If we do take over, we will need to manage and maintain it and residents will be expected to pay rent so that we can ensure that it doesn't return to its current state," he said.
Meanwhile, tenants of a neighbouring hostel are reportedly still living in the flats despite past attempts to evict them.
Last year residents of the Somafho hostel, a former Peninsula Technikon residence, received eviction notices from a board of trustees that includes Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Western Cape provincial secretary Mcebesi Skwatsha and MPs David Dlali and Mildred Lesiea.
The residents were accused of non-payments which led to the disconnection of their electricity supply and, ultimately, to the threat of evictions.
Plato warned that if the seven hostels in question - Masonwabe, Dairymaid, Dairybelle, Lingelihle, Ethembeni, Nobantu and Sharpeville - were not dealt with properly the residents might face the same fate as those living in Somafho. - Cape Argus
Residents of Masonwabe Park said the hostels, which house an estimated 40 families, were initially used by employees of Sun International Hotel.
But, said Dan Plato, mayoral committee member for housing, the ownership of the hostels is still in question.
| 'Children often get sick here, they cough a lot because they play in the water' |
"I am not really sure who owns the buildings," Plato said.
The picture that greeted a Cape Argus team who arrived Friday was one of broken and blocked drains, which gave rise to an overflow of urine; and children playing in large puddles of dirty water in the courtyard.
"Children often get sick here, they cough a lot because they play in the water," said resident Monde Salmana. Salmana admitted that residents did not pay rent and would resist any moves to have the buildings demolished.
"They are totally against moving, although the conditions are bad," Salmana said.
| 'We still need to decide whether the city will take over this liability' |
Broken showers, toilets, sinks, a lack of stair rails, leaking roofs, cracked walls and sloping foundations are just some of the reasons cited.
However, Plato said no such decision had yet been made. "We still need to decide whether the city will take over this liability - are we willing to take it over."
Plato could not supply a time-frame for the decision, saying only that they needed to look at it urgently.
"If we do take over, we will need to manage and maintain it and residents will be expected to pay rent so that we can ensure that it doesn't return to its current state," he said.
Meanwhile, tenants of a neighbouring hostel are reportedly still living in the flats despite past attempts to evict them.
Last year residents of the Somafho hostel, a former Peninsula Technikon residence, received eviction notices from a board of trustees that includes Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Western Cape provincial secretary Mcebesi Skwatsha and MPs David Dlali and Mildred Lesiea.
The residents were accused of non-payments which led to the disconnection of their electricity supply and, ultimately, to the threat of evictions.
Plato warned that if the seven hostels in question - Masonwabe, Dairymaid, Dairybelle, Lingelihle, Ethembeni, Nobantu and Sharpeville - were not dealt with properly the residents might face the same fate as those living in Somafho. - Cape Argus
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