A woman returns from the dump site at an unused Prasa railway line, next to Loyiso Nkohla Mabandla Village in Cape Town’s Philippi East. (Photo: SIyabonga Goni) 
On 7 August 2025, the community of Loyiso Nkohla Mabandla Village, who were relocated from Cape Town’s central railway line reserve to Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (Prasa’s) land at Stock Road, Philippi East, burnt tires on the busy R300 road, shutting it in both directions.
The community, facing rubber bullets fired by police, were protesting against harsh conditions they have been left to endure after being moved.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/IMG_6786.jpeg "A resident uses outside communal tap water for cleaning and drinking. (Photo: Siyabonga Goni)")
The community was relocated in 2024 as part of Operation Bhekela, a joint venture between Prasa, the City of Cape Town, the Housing Development Agency and the provincial and national governments, to restore Metrorail services. According to a GroundUp report, close to 900 families were relocated.
Since they were moved to the new site, also in Philippi East, they have had no electricity and no proper roads for cars to enter. They live close to dump sites and use toilets that were built around their shacks.
Read more: Relocation of more than 880 families from Cape Town central railway line completed
‘Broken promises’
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/B773CA32-C271-40AB-B9F2-DD3C2660EAB4.jpeg "The community of Loyiso Nkohla Mabandla Village in Philippi, Cape Town, are frustrated with Prasa, leading to a protest on the R300. They say the passenger rail agency has not kept a promise of providing electricity. (Photo: Siyabonga Goni)")
Community leader Lizo Magebe told Daily Maverick that Prasa had promised to look after them, but nothing had happened.
“Since we arrived here, Prasa promised us that we will live here for a year and six months, and we will not get electricity because we will not stay for long; there will be a permanent place.
“However, Prasa has not lived up to [its] promises. Prasa promised us that when we get here, we will receive building materials, but that also never happened. We brought our material; they only laid the slab,” said Magabe.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/unnamed-1.jpg "Toilets were built by Prasa. (Photo: Siyabonga Goni)")
Muddy puddles fill the gaps between the shacks in the community; toilets are scattered, leaving little space to move, and taps leak, causing small floods. However, the overriding issue for the residents is the lack of electricity.
Magebe said that for electricity, the community had to send cables across to nearby areas such as Acacia and Heinz Park, where there were houses connected to power. They paid between R300 and R350 a month for the illegal connections. While the central line has reopened, the cables run across another, unused Prasa railway line.
“Three weeks back, we had a strike because Prasa was cutting our cables, and we fought with them until a meeting was called. But nothing has happened. We were so patient with them because we want electricity,” said Magebe.
Another resident, Andiswa Ngceme, said it was difficult living without electricity. She said she used a gas stove that could be dangerous. The railway close to the community is now a dumping site.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/IMG_6773.jpeg "Andiswa Ngceme, a resident in Nkohla Village, says they use a gas cooker in the absence of electricity, which could be dangerous for children. (Photo: Siyabonga Goni)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/IMG_6770.jpeg "The gas stove Andiswa Ngceme uses. (Photo: Siyabonga Goni)")
“Prasa wants to use the railways when children are playing around, and we don’t have a bridge to ensure children are able to cross. The gas is not safe; sometimes children can leave the gas on, and as an adult, you always need to be around the house; it is dangerous. I pay R350 [a month] for electricity, and Prasa wants to cut the wires,” said Ngceme.
While Ngceme cooked on her gas stove, Daily Maverick came across a resident using a woodfire in a charred metal drum to prepare her meal.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/IMG_6793.jpeg "While others use a gas stove, others opt to use a woodfire to cook – they cannot afford to pay R350 for electricity. (Photo: Siyabonga Goni)")
“I don’t have R350 for electricity, so I use this to make my food,” said the resident, who preferred to remain anonymous
“We contacted the City of Cape Town to help, but they say they cannot do anything because it is the land of Prasa,” said Magebe.
While the community reels from the lack of basic needs, children’s education has suffered. Magebe said schools were far from the settlement, and the issue of having no bridge had caused frustration.
“There are no nearby schools – children have dropped out of school because Prasa said [learners] would be transported … free … but they have never done that,” said Magebe.
Settlement ‘temporary’
Prasa spokesperson Andiswa Makanda told Daily Maverick that they continued to liaise with the Loyiso community to ensure the relocation to a permanent site.
“The Loyiso Nkohla Settlement is a temporary relocation site established for households who had previously occupied Prasa’s rail reserve unlawfully. As an interim measure to ensure comfort and liveability, the City of Cape Town is providing services such as water, ablution facilities and refuse removal services.
“The Prasa regional team has continuously met with the community of the Loyiso Nkohla settlement and emphasised that their permanent relocation is being coordinated through an intergovernmental structure,” said Makanda.
The South African Police Service was monitoring the R300 on Thursday after the protest. DM