No evictions have taken place at Khayelitsha land invasion site

7 July 2020

In terms of a High Court order, the City of Cape Town is permitted to remove any new illegally erected structures on the land in question.

In line with the court order, five illegal structures were removed on 1 July 2020. The day prior, 30 June 2020, one illegal structure was removed.

‘The Anti-Land Invasion Unit has been conducting near daily anti-land invasion operations at the site. Only 49 structures have been temporarily allowed to remain by the High Court. This is monitored on an ongoing basis. To date, no evictions have taken place on the site, only anti-land invasion operations,’ said Mayco Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Malusi Booi.

In April, the High Court permitted only 49 structures to temporarily remain on the land under strict conditions until the matter is heard in full.

‘Police Minister Bheki Cele promoted lawlessness with his publicity stunt on the site of a land invasion. This invasion undermines services and housing in Khayelitsha as a whole, because the land is on the direct path of a R162 million water pipeline’ said Councillor Booi.

Invaded land jeopardising R162 million water pipeline to Khayelitsha

The Khayelitsha land invasion is on the direct pathway of a R162 million water pipeline project crucial to Khayelitsha as a whole.

The pipeline will increase water pressure for around 11 000 Enkaniniresidents, and provide assurance of supply to the whole of Khayelitsha. New housing developments will further rely on critical bulk service infrastructure such as this project.

‘The City has already installed 1,4km of this 6km pipeline from Faure to Khayelitsha, along Baden Powell Drive. Over R50 million of the budget has already been spent, and we are on track for completion in 12 – 18 months. But anti-land invasion operations along the route are crucial to ensuring no further interruptions,’ said Mayco Member for Water and Waste, Alderman Xanthea Limberg.

Issued by City of Cape Town, 7 July 2002