Gugulethu families endure eight years in community hall amid eviction threats.

Families who have been living in a Gugulethu community hall for nearly eight years say their lives have been left in limbo, as they face eviction threats and live in fear of criminals while waiting for permanent housing.

The families have occupied the hall since February 2018, with no permanent solution in sight. Initially, they erected informal structures on vacant land next to the hall, but heavy rains flooded the area, forcing them to move back into the building.

What was meant to be a temporary arrangement has turned into a prolonged ordeal following delays in the Luyolo Housing Development project. Most of the occupants were previously backyard tenants in the area. Of the original 80 families who moved into the hall, only nine remain, as many have lost hope of securing permanent housing and have since left.

The remaining families blame the City's Human Settlements Directorate for neglecting them. When Vukani visited the hall on Wednesday, January 14, conditions had deteriorated further. Broken windows, holes in the walls, and a damaged roof bore testimony to the dire living situation.

A visibly exhausted and frustrated resident, Nomaphelo Squ, said life in the hall has been extremely difficult, but families have no alternative accommodation. She said the hall has effectively been their home since 2018.

“The living conditions are appalling and deplorable. The hall is in a terrible state, and families are suffering. We have tried peaceful means to resolve this, including marching and handing over a memorandum to the authorities, but nothing has changed,” she said.

Ms Squ added that there was renewed hope when construction on the housing project initially began, but progress was soon halted.

“People were shot at the construction site, and some equipment was torched. After that, everything came to a standstill. There has been no progress since. We have protested many times, but to no avail,” she said.

Another resident, Nokwakha Tsolo, described the situation as unbearable, saying that since moving into the hall, nothing has gone right for the families.

She said the pressure has increased as sports groups want to use the hall for community activities, while criminals have begun targeting the occupants.

“We understand that the sportspeople need the hall to develop young people through sport, and we are standing in their way. But the most frightening part is the criminals who are harassing us. They try to break in frequently, and we are living in constant fear, especially because we have young girls who could become victims,” she said.

The Gugulethu Sports Council (GSC) has criticised the municipality for its failure to address the situation. GSC chairperson Nceba Sandlana said the hall should be available for community events but added that the council is assisting the occupants in their efforts to find alternative accommodation.

The Department of Infrastructure said it had resolved to hand over the project site to the City of Cape Town, which it said has greater capacity and access to law enforcement resources to manage ongoing security risks.

The City's mayoral committee member for human settlements, Carl Pophaim, said the City’s Human Settlements Directorate is assisting the families currently occupying Luyolo Hall.

“The Human Settlements teams have identified possible relocation areas and are conducting final assessments. All necessary protocols are being followed, and the City is keeping all stakeholders, including the affected families, informed of the progress,” he said.