Just six taps for 3 000 people, no legal electricity, no toilets, no refuse collection and a rubbish dump that doubles as a playground - this is life in QQ section of Khayelitsha, which has some of the most atrocious living conditions in Cape Town.
It is why the QQ section Community Committee has been at the forefront of violent protests in recent weeks that have included burning tyres, scattering rotting refuse in streets and clashing with police.
Last week the city revealed that national standards for service levels were one toilet for every five dwellings, water within 200m of a dwelling, refuse collection and electrification.
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Although inhabitants of QQ section - a flood-prone site - had to be relocated, there should be provision of sanitation and water for the area in the immediate future.
The deadline for a site inspection paving the way to implement such services was on Monday.
Mzonke Poni, the leader of the Community Committee, says the land on which QQ is situated is owned by Eskom. There are huge power lines overhead.
People have been living there for more than 15 years, although it is low-lying and marshy and prone to flooding.
Although there are no official estimates of how many people live in QQ, the community reckons there are 900 shacks in which about 3 000 live.
Some shacks house as many as eight people.
Late in 2003, 40 shacks burnt down.
When visited on Friday, signs of flooding - including huge puddles of water inside several shacks - were still visible after rains that occurred more than a month earlier.
In one section, the stench was unbearable. Children played in piles of rubbish - rotten tomatoes, torn black refuse bags loaded with dirt and flies buzzing.
There is no refuse collection in the area.
According to the community, some children are suffering from scabies.
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