GOOD Statement by Axolile Notywala,
GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor
07 July 2025
The GOOD Party is calling for an immediate investigation into the management of social housing facilities across Cape Town, following mounting complaints from tenants, growing public outcry, and ongoing government inaction.
Over the past month, we have received repeated complaints from tenants living in DCI Social Housing in Goodwood, and other facilities like Conradie Park in Thornton. These complaints have included exorbitant utility charges, inhumane visitation rules, and broken promises by the housing provider.
On 5 June 2025, I raised these issues during a City of Cape Town Human Settlements Portfolio Committee meeting. Despite the seriousness of the concerns, they were largely dismissed by Chairperson Anda Ntsodo and Mayoral Committee Member Carl Pophaim. I was told the City was “already investigating” the electricity charges and that the other concerns were “not the City’s responsibility.”
On 10 June 2025, I followed up via email with City officials, seeking an update on the investigation into the utility charges. I have yet to receive any response, a pattern of non-responsiveness that makes it difficult for Councillors to provide proper feedback to residents.
On 22 June 2025, I attempted an oversight visit to the DCI Social Housing facility in Goodwood with fellow City Councillors, after receiving further complaints. We were blocked from entering. I posted a video about the incident, which triggered more than 200 public comments from tenants, confirming similar problems not only at DCI but at other social housing developments in Cape Town.
In response to the video, I also received a wave of private messages via WhatsApp from affected tenants. These are just two of the messages I continue to receive:
“SHRA, human settlements I reached out to all of them 4 months ago, they keep saying they [are] investigating but every time I mail no response. The deposit is outrageous. People signed petitions. I know of an old man that died because he had to sleep outside.”
“This Place in Goodwood is worse and Evil, people are treated like Dogs and Prisoners. The Security Company at that Goodwood Complex are corrupt at the core, they are asking Visitors Money for them to Sleepover, or they will throw Your Visitors out if You Don’t Pay them. The Security Company needs to Go. Our Families are restricted and mistreated. Tenants are overcharged with Electricity and the Water is Dirty Forever, very unhygienic. Please Stand with Us and Help Us to get rid of this Management. They are Evil to the core. Their Rules are ridiculous and inhuman.”
On 4 July 2025, the People’s Legal Centre (PLC), representing tenants of DCI in Goodwood, submitted a formal request for urgent intervention to the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape Government, and the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA).
Tenants are now reporting even higher utility bills, particularly since the City adopted its new budget, which came into effect on 1 July. Many of these charges are coming from ANNASA, the private company contracted to manage electricity.
Most of the affected tenants are low-income earners or pensioners who entered the social housing system with the promise of decent, affordable living. Instead, they feel abandoned by SHRA, dismissed by housing providers, and let down by the City and Province. Some tenants have already started withholding rent in protest, feeling that they have exhausted all other options. This breakdown in trust, if not addressed, risks leading to evictions and increased homelessness.
Social housing in Cape Town is a ticking time bomb. Urgent, coordinated intervention is needed from government.