RESIDENTS removed from the Central Line tracks in the Philippi area accuse Metrorail in Cape Town of ignoring them.
The residents believe that Prasa has not honoured the agreement to employ some of the community members as cleaners and security guards during the reconstruction of the railway line.
They held a meeting on Monday 25 March at Philippi railway station, near the spot where Loyiso Nkohla-Mabandla was shot dead in April 2023.
Community leader Philip Mnisi, who worked closely with Loyiso, said Metrorail had ignored them since the activist's death.
"Loyiso was the one who helped us reach an agreement with Metrorail where we agreed to move away from the railway line and part of the condition was that we would be given job opportunities while the railway line was being rebuilt. After the death of Mr Nkohla, Metrorail ignored us and now we see some people working at the railway and we have nothing to do," Mnisi said.
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Another community leader, Siphokazi Lamati, claimed that they were also promised that when they were resettled in a new informal settlement called Loyiso Village, all services such as water, toilets and electricity would be provided, but that'snot the case at the moment.
“Residents of Loyiso Village receive water twice a week, there is no tap water. This is not what we agreed to. We can’t approach the City of Cape Town because they say we are on private land. We just accept the services they offer us. Metrorail has let us down,” said Lamati.
Residents claimed that Metrorail had not fulfilled a single one of the promises they had agreed to. The City of Cape Town has confirmed that the relocated residents will receive water twice a week.
The MMC for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien said: “The families who have been relocated on Prasa-owned land are getting water brought to the community twice a week by water tankers. In addition, the city has already initiated the application process for permission to install 30-40 standpipes. While this process is underway, the city is looking into the possibility of introducing an additional day for the water tankers to supply the relocated community.
“There are 150 toilets provided by the city at the Prasa-owned site. The toilets are serviced four times a week. Although the toilets are on Prasa-owned land, the city provides the toilets and pays for their installation and maintenance.”
Daily Sun contacted Prasa spokeswoman Andiswa Makanda, but she has not been able to respond to questions emailed and WhatsApped to her since Monday morning.
Her phone has also not been answered.
However, a joint statement released on 12 March by the Central Relocation Project Management Committee (PMC), which includes the national and provincial departments of transport, Prasa, the City of Cape Town and other stakeholders, said the project had created 922 jobs.
"The PMC reiterated its commitment to work closely with the affected communities, address the concerns raised at the meeting and report regularly on the progress of the relocation," the statement said.
