The Kraal is a desperately poor informal settlement known as a centre of crime situated in the Bo-Kaap between Cape Town's brand new R4.5 billion World Cup stadium and the city centre.
Home to about 150 people, including a number of children, it is a dirt-poor squatter camp out of sight of the tourists who flock to the Mother City to enjoy its world class attractions.
Nestled in the quarry above Hout Street, the settlement, which was set up in the 1980s, appears to have been forgotten, with not even basic services provided. However, it has striking views across the harbour and of Table Mountain
It's regarded as a crime hot-spot by law enforcement authorities, but residents say criminals use it as a short-cut when fleeing the police.
Sulayga Toffa, known to everyone there as "Poppie", has lived in the Kraal for more than 20 years. She says they have been trying for years to get the city council to put electricity boxes in their shacks. "But we are sent from pillar to post." She said that last month council officials arrived to put new numbers on the structures. "They said they'd be back the next week but there has been no sign of them. We need toilets and electricity."
Her daughter Moniera Kelly said it felt as if the community did not exist. "Even some of the people in council don't know about us." Kelly said they had asked for railings to be erected to stop people running through the area.
This week the two toilets which service the entire community were overflowing, creating a health hazard for the children playing nearby in the puddles of water from the rain.
Bo-Kaap Civic Association chairman Osman Shaboodien said the Kraal had become an eyesore and that the city administration needed to play a bigger role.
He said residents could not simply be moved to an area like Blikkiesdorp, near Delft where other homeless people have been taken.
"I know of at least 15 families who have always lived in the Kraal, so we can't say they are not from the area."
Shaboodien said it would not be fair to expect residents to be moved because the "big developers across Strand Street" didn't like the squatter camp.
"Some residents feel we should assimilate them into the community, but it's difficult because it's been so long."
Tasso Evangelinos, the Central City Improvement District (CCID) chief operations officer, said the Kraal was known as a den for criminal activity and that police raids had found drugs and stolen goods.
He said it fell outside the CCID area but affected the central city indirectly because people used it as a getaway route.
Home to about 150 people, including a number of children, it is a dirt-poor squatter camp out of sight of the tourists who flock to the Mother City to enjoy its world class attractions.
Nestled in the quarry above Hout Street, the settlement, which was set up in the 1980s, appears to have been forgotten, with not even basic services provided. However, it has striking views across the harbour and of Table Mountain
It's regarded as a crime hot-spot by law enforcement authorities, but residents say criminals use it as a short-cut when fleeing the police.
Sulayga Toffa, known to everyone there as "Poppie", has lived in the Kraal for more than 20 years. She says they have been trying for years to get the city council to put electricity boxes in their shacks. "But we are sent from pillar to post." She said that last month council officials arrived to put new numbers on the structures. "They said they'd be back the next week but there has been no sign of them. We need toilets and electricity."
Her daughter Moniera Kelly said it felt as if the community did not exist. "Even some of the people in council don't know about us." Kelly said they had asked for railings to be erected to stop people running through the area.
This week the two toilets which service the entire community were overflowing, creating a health hazard for the children playing nearby in the puddles of water from the rain.
Bo-Kaap Civic Association chairman Osman Shaboodien said the Kraal had become an eyesore and that the city administration needed to play a bigger role.
He said residents could not simply be moved to an area like Blikkiesdorp, near Delft where other homeless people have been taken.
"I know of at least 15 families who have always lived in the Kraal, so we can't say they are not from the area."
Shaboodien said it would not be fair to expect residents to be moved because the "big developers across Strand Street" didn't like the squatter camp.
"Some residents feel we should assimilate them into the community, but it's difficult because it's been so long."
Tasso Evangelinos, the Central City Improvement District (CCID) chief operations officer, said the Kraal was known as a den for criminal activity and that police raids had found drugs and stolen goods.
He said it fell outside the CCID area but affected the central city indirectly because people used it as a getaway route.
- Cape Argus
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