Bonteheuwel backyarder eager for City services

Khan is among nearly 800 families who are set to benefit from the City of Cape Town’s Backyarder Programme.

A backyarder is someone who lives in a small dwelling, usually a shack or wendy house, on someone’s property, for which they pay rent. Backyarders usually do not have electricity or toilets.

The R160 million project includes the provision of toilets, electricity and bins for each household on council-owned property.

The project has already been implemented in Hanover Park and Factreton and is underway in Parkwood.

The roll out of these services in Bonteheuwel has been contested by members of Joint Peace Forum. The group has claimed that residents were not consulted about the implementation of the services.

For Khan, who shares his one-room home with his wife and three children aged between 11 and four, these services are “long overdue.” About two months ago, the City installed a full-flush toilet enclosed in concrete in his yard.

“Our lights are always tripping, so we can’t have certain appliances on at the same time as the main house. My wife can’t cook when she wants to; we have to wait until people in the front [house] are done. We’ve had to just deal with it. We became used to going to the front to use the bathroom,” he said.

Khan said he often worries for the safety of his family as most of the electrical connections to his home are not secure.

Indeed, the electricity wires crisscrossing inside his home are chaotic.

“I did the connections myself. When it rains, I have to cover the wires with a plastic bag because I’m worried someone will get hurt. I would really appreciate it if we could get our own electricity. We can then sort ourselves out,” he said.

Pierrinne Leukes, spokesperson for mayor Patricia de Lille, said the City was the only metro in the country that provided free services to backyarders while, for those who qualify, wait for housing.

“We went door-to-door in November 2014 and consulted with all the beneficiaries. As we have previously stated, we will not be deterred by those who are trying to prevent us from delivering this service.”

Leukes said the project will also be implemented in Leonsdale for 52 families, Nooitgedacht for 48 families, Bishop Lavis for 256 families, Bellville South for 375 families, and Lavender Hill for 329 backyarder families.

Judy Kennedy of the Joint Peace Forum said that they supported the service delivered to backyarders but it needed to be done “in a decent manner”.

“If this was in a suburb, the wiring would be done underground. Now there will be poles going up at almost every second house and that won’t look nice. We want to see the City’s environmental assessment evaluations on this project,” she said.