Families living in Gugulethu community hall for more than four years face eviction

Families living in a Gugulethu community hall for nearly four years have been issued eviction notices by the City of Cape Town.

The group, who have dubbed themselves the Gugulethu Seven or G7, initially erected structures on vacant land next to the hall in February 2018. But when the space flooded during heavy rainfall, they occupied the Luyolo hall a few months later in June. Most of the occupants had been backyard tenants in the community.

The hall had been used by the community for events and served as the ward councillor’s office. The spaces have since been transformed into makeshift bedrooms and living spaces for the over 30 occupants, including eight young children. There were over 100 people in the group that first moved into the hall.

Nomawethu Maki has shared a space in the hall with her three children, her mother, sister and brother since the occupation began. The space along a passageway in the hall appeared to be a partitioned kitchen, bedroom and living space. “This is the space we share with my family. We have tried to make it as homely as possible,” she said.

On the ground level, the bathrooms were filled with different piles of clothing and belongings. The hall’s kitchen area had broken cupboards and the main area had a few beds, a fridge and piles of clothes where different people sleep.

Maki said living conditions in the hall have become unbearable. “It gets very cold, especially at night. The roof leaks when it rains and sometimes the toilets leak and get blocked. Most of us are unemployed, so necessities like food also become scarce,” she said.

Toilet stalls at the hall are also used as storage spaces for people’s belongings. (Photo: Mary-Anne Gontsana)

Occupier, Nomawethu Maki shares this space upper area in the hall with her three children, her mother, sister and brother. (Photo: Mary-Anne Gontsana)