Imagine living five minutes from the ocean, waking up to magnificent blue views yet sleeping in a one-room zinc shack pitched on loose sand, without water, electricity or proper sanitation.
That is the new reality for nearly 1,000 families who were recently relocated from the Vosho informal settlement on the outskirts of Khayelitsha to the Mew Way informal settlement, just five minutes from Monwabisi Beach.
For seven years, the families lived in Vosho, an area resembling a deserted quarry with limited service delivery.
Many say they were hopeful when the City of Cape Town announced plans to move them. Each family was given 10 zinc sheets, 20 poles and nails to start rebuilding their homes, which they say was not enough.
Last week, trucks moved them to Mew Way. When the Sunday Times visited the area, rows of newly erected zinc structures stood on sandy ground. The site is enclosed with palisade fencing, with security officers stationed at the entrance. Some residents were busy constructing their shacks, while others sat in the shade, chatting as they tried to adjust to their new surroundings.
But beneath the promise of proximity to the beach lies growing anxiety.
Studies have warned that building informal structures on dunes near coastal areas in South Africa can be dangerous. Risks include structural collapse due to unstable ground, homes being buried by shifting sand, and flooding during high tides or storms.
Coastal zones are also prone to strong winds and storm surges. Fine sand can be blown into homes, covering food and bedding, and posing health risks by irritating residents’ eyes, noses and mouths, particularly affecting young children and the elderly.
Vakele Mjindi, 34, who has lived in the new settlement for a week, shares a single-room shack with his family of four.
“Usually, the municipality lays gravel before people build, but this time we were left to build directly on the sand. We don’t have toilets, electricity or tap water. This place is no different from where we were; the only difference is that it’s closer to the road,” he said.
He said access was a major problem in Vosho. Ambulances and vehicles could not enter the narrow pathways.
“We once had to carry a dead person all the way to the main road because cars could not come in,” he said. He also recalled losing all his belongings, including his certificates, when his shack caught fire and emergency services struggled to reach the scene.
There is only one portable toilet near us, and it becomes a problem when the person who has the key is not around.
— Resident Nkosinathi Xaba
Nkosinathi Xaba said while outsiders may envy the ocean views, residents are uneasy about their proximity to the shoreline.
“Besides the beach, there’s a man-made dam just a few metres from the shacks. We struggle to sleep because of mosquitoes,” he said.
“There is only one portable toilet near us, and it becomes a problem when the person who has the key is not around.”
Ayabonga Rangala tried to lighten the mood as he plastered his sandy floor with cement.
“For the first time, I can say I have a beach house,” he joked. “The beach is within walking distance, something you usually associate with the suburbs. We were told this is temporary, but knowing the municipality, even after five years, we might still be here.”
He said windy days are particularly difficult, as sand blows into their homes, making conditions unbearable.
The challenges of providing services to informal settlements are well documented. Speaking during a recent briefing on Cape Town’s water supply, Etienne Hugo, director of distribution services in the city’s water and sanitation department, said the availability of bulk infrastructure remains a key obstacle.
“Some informal settlements are not located where bulk infrastructure exists, and by bulk infrastructure we mean the large pipes needed to deliver water,” he said.
“It takes time to extend that infrastructure. Another challenge is the density of settlements. It’s often difficult to install services inside densely packed areas, so we end up providing services on the periphery, which creates further access problems.”
Mayoral committee member for human settlements Carl Pophaim said the relocation was undertaken as an emergency safety intervention. He said residents were previously living in a flood-prone area and were moved to the new site for their protection.
“Importantly, the site is not located on the beach but forms part of the broader Vosho relocation and upgrade project,” Pophaim said.
He said it is a sandy area and appears to be situated on the beachfront. However, the land is opposite Baden Powell Drive from the beach and is earmarked for a formal human settlement development.
He said only verified beneficiaries were relocated under high-risk emergency conditions.
“No residents who are not part of the limited emergency relocation efforts are allowed to establish themselves on this site. The city is monitoring this and any unlawful occupation will be dealt with decisively and immediately,” he said.
Pophaim added that all required statutory studies, including geotechnical, environmental and coastal risk assessments, had been conducted and that approvals were in place for an incremental human settlement’s development.
“This is a sandy area and may appear like it is on the beach, but it is not. Due to the peninsula’s location, the sea is visible. The site was previously obscured by dunes, which have since been flattened, hence the view of the beach area.”
He said infrastructure installation was under way to support a future formal development and that consultations had taken place in line with the emergency nature of the relocation.
For now, residents of Mew Way remain caught between hope and hardship, closer to the ocean than ever before, yet still waiting for the basic services that make any settlement truly liveable.
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