Khayelitsha community hall burnt during protest, highway blocked

CAPE TOWN – Residents of Khayelitsha in Cape Town set fire to a community hall early on Sunday morning.

The incident follows service delivery protests yesterday, during which the N2 highway was blocked.

Community members say they're struggling to get the City of Cape Town to meet its housing commitments.

In 2013, residents of the B-M section were temporarily moved to another area, OR Tambo, after a fire destroyed their homes. They were then promised new houses in Mfuleni.

But after violence directed at the contractors in that area, the City of Cape Town put a stop to the Bosasa housing development.

“These people are angry because they can see they are not going to get what was agreed on between them and the City,” said ANC ward councillor, Monde Nqulwana.

A community member has accused the City of lying to them. “We were supposed to go to Bosasa in October. But that thing didn’t happen. They lied to us,” said Siyabulela Gifile. 

On Saturday, after three children contracted food poisoning at a community event, the protests escalated and the OR Tambo community hall was set alight the following morning.

Community members are angry that the mothers of the sick children have been detained.

"They say the only thing they want is for those parents to be released so they can interact with their sick children in hospital,” said Nqulwana.

While some community members are critical of the arsonists, others feel it’s the only way to get attention.

“The best way is to burn this hall,” said Gifile.

Khayelitsha community members have now threatened to block the N2 highway for as long as it takes, and say police will have to deploy extra forces for protection.

They’re vowing not to rest until Western Cape Premier Helen Zille herself comes to meet them, and until their demands for housing are met.

- eNCA