The City of Cape Town says illegal structures built directly over a sewer line are causing sinkholes to form underneath some people’s homes in Khayelitsha’s SST section.

GroundUp reports this is the same sewer line that collapsed in January 2024.

The Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, says building on essential service servitudes is unlawful and endangers lives, property, and infrastructure.

The City says the structures must be removed to allow safe repairs, while temporary measures have been put in place. It’s also working with affected families on relocation plans, as the informal settlement was built in a stormwater retention pond.

Badroodien says this situation was entirely avoidable:

“Structures have been illegally built directly above the sewer line at the point where subsidence has occurred. Since the line first broke in 2024, the City has submitted several requests for the removal of this structure to enable the appointment of an emergency contractor to carry out necessary repairs.”

In March 2024, the City appealed to residents to allow the Metro to remove these structures, many of which still remain.

Badroodien says the structures must be removed to allow safe access for the City’s maintenance team or a qualified contractor to excavate and repair the line in accordance with safety and engineering standards.

“While there are currently no active overflows affecting nearby structures, the existing sinkholes remain a serious safety concern. The City’s ability to implement effective safety measures is severely limited without access to the line. The sunken areas have been temporarily filled with milling material to reduce immediate risk, but this is an unsustainable measure that does not address the root cause.”

The City says they are working with the political leadership in the area to identify areas for the relocation of the affected families.

READ: Illegal Dumping in Sewers Costs the City Millions Every Month