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WATCH | ‘We want water!’: Khayelitsha protesters demand ‘simple things’ as vehicles torched

Residents of Khayelitsha in Cape Town took to the streets in protest on Thursday. They were reportedly protesting about housing and service delivery issues.

Three Golden Arrow buses and a truck were allegedly set alight by the angry mob.

Cape Town officials said that one of its Dial-a-Ride buses was stoned and that two excavators belonging to contractors were set alight.

“These were being used for the city’s Baden Powell to Khayelitsha water supply project. As a precaution, many services have been withdrawn, including the Covid-19 enhanced services water delivery trucks to areas in Khayelitsha,” the city said.

Community leader Alex Madikane says the community is after “the simple things”.

“Today, tomorrow and Monday – we want water. If the water doesn’t come, we’ll still close this road. Take it or leave it,” he says.

Commuters travelling between Cape Town International Airport and the CBD were disrupted as the protest spilt over to the N2 highway.

The provincial education department raised concerns that some matriculants would be unable to get to exam centres to write their papers.

The police are monitoring the situation.

In a statement on Thursday afternoon, the city said that it would “not tolerate intimidation, violence and the destruction of public and private property and the infringements of rights of law-abiding residents in general”.

The statement said the protesters were demanding services “after they illegally occupied land in recent months”.

It said that there were “organised unlawful land occupations” during the Covid-19 lockdown, which saw new settlements being set up in many parts of the metro, including Khayelitsha, Kraaifontein and Mfuleni.

“These areas are now demanding immediate services. The city has been communicating for months that it is unable to provide immediate services, if at all, to all newly formed settlements at the expense of the existing services and programmes planned in accordance with its budget. The city does not have unlimited resources,” the statement read.

It added that “some activist groups, political instigators and others in leadership roles” were condoning the land-grabs.

“Illegal occupations have a negative affect on planned projects, community facilities, basic services, beneficiaries of housing projects, and infrastructure expansion and maintenance. It also severely affects those who have illegally occupied land. Those who occupy land illegally knowing there are no services do so at their own risk.

“The city will continue to do everything in its power to prevent the illegal occupation of land, which is a criminal act and which hurts us all,’ said the mayoral committee member for human settlements, Malusi Booi.

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Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. In addition to his media ventures, Solomon serves as a Brand Ambassador for Alabuga, a prominent Russian industrial company, representing their interests and expansion across Africa. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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