Reflections on the ‘Phoenix massacre’
Roadblocks set up by vigilantes during the violence in Phoenix were always going to lead to confrontation with residents of nearby townships as they rely on public services accessible only in the town.
Service delivery
Heaps of rubbish causing a stink in Durban’s informal settlements
Residents of informal settlements in Durban complain of a lack of refuse collection while the city points fingers at them for illegal dumping.
Over 100 villages in Raymond Mhlaba without water
Villagers in Amathole District Municipality continue without water for months on end despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
Illegal electricity connections spark tension in East London
Tension is brewing between informal settlements and those who live in brick houses in East London over illegal electricity connections.
Commuters bemoan taxi violence as they struggle to get to work
Daily commuting in Cape Town has never been so dangerous. Eighty people have been killed this year, casualties in a turf war between taxi associations.
Informal settlement residents in Mdantsane complain of rat infestation
Residents see no way else to get rid of their rubbish than to dump it because no truck will be coming to collect it.
Joburg wastepickers against “recycling levy”
The formalisation of recycling in Joburg city looks to sideline the people who have been doing the work informally all along.
A year of lockdown in pictures
On day 378 of the national lockdown, Elitsha looks back at the past twelve months and the pictures we took.
Khayelitsha streets still littered with debris a week after protest
Two Khayelitsha based organisations accuse the City of Cape Town of discrimination in the way it provides services.
2020 review
To round off the year, here are just a few snippets of stories Elitsha overed this year.
Residents of newly occupied settlements demand basic services
Residents of newly occupied areas in Cape Town struggle to maintain a dignified life without water, electricity and sanitation services.
Over 130 villages are without water in Ngqushwa
Villagers in Ngqushwa in the Eastern Cape say they have marched and sent petitions to authorities but little relief has been provided to their shortage of water.
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