The army Casspirs rolled into several violence-ridden areas on the Cape Flats in July to help bring about stability. In September, the three-month deployment was extended by another six months.
The sight is reminiscent of the 1980s, when the government sent in troops to the townships to enforce apartheid, a system that resulted in overcrowding in the townships, inequality, violence, poverty, slums and a disregard of human rights.
When mayor Dan Plato took office he promised to bring safety to the communities, clean up the filth and create conditions to attract more tourists to the city.
But among the most pressing issues facing the City is the provision of affordable housing.
The housing backlog is rising, yet a clear policy to redress apartheid spatial planning has yet to be produced.
A group of residents represented by Ndifuna Ukwazi has challenged the City’s commitment to spatial transformation in a landmark case in the Western Cape High Court.
Selina La Hane believes the City has done little to improve the delivery of housing for the poor.
The 74-year-old granny, who lives with a daughter and two great-grandchildren, is among residents who were evicted from the Tafelberg site in Sea Point.
“I arrived in Cape Town when I was about 20 years old and shortly afterwards managed to get a job at a restaurant in Sea Point.
“This was at the height of the pass laws and I would either sleep at a friend’s place in the basement of her employer’s house or at the park until I found a place of my own. This was at the back of a white woman’s home.
“My late husband Clarence and I managed to find a two-bedroom flat at the Tafelberg site. He wrote letters to the authorities so we could get the place. But we were evicted and my family was moved to Sanddrift, a working class suburb with a high crime rate and drug pushers. I fear for the safety of my great-grandchildren.”
Cape Town remains a divided city 25 years after democracy and the segregation along racial and class lines remains stark.
Those who cannot afford to buy in former white suburbs are forced to live on the periphery and spend almost a third of their earnings on a failing transport system.
Sylvia Desi, who lives in Khayelitsha, spends close to R1800 on transport for her and her daughter after the MyCiTi Express service was
suspended in June.
An integrated transport system is key to connecting the city and
making it easier for people to access economic nodes and social activities.
Water and sanitation in the townships and informal settlements remains poor.
No proper plan of how the City plans to provide these services exists.
In Elsies River, Hazeldene and Delft children spend hours during the holidays playing in the parks. But the facilities are not that great.
The swings are broken.
In some parts of Lavender Hill, parents turned the play park into a “peace park” to remind the community of the need for safety. However, amid the children’s peals of laughter gunshots can be heard.
The funeral service of slain Valentino Grootetjie, 5, was due to be held at the weekend.
This tragedy is evidence that the army could do little to prevent this life from being snuffed out by gang violence.
His safety was enshrined in our Constitution. But our Constitution means little if the different spheres of government cannot work together to ensure the fruits of democracy and rights of people are realised.
The challenges facing the City call for a paradigm shift in the mindset and approach of our leaders.
We need visionary leadership and bold, innovative solutions.
We need less talk and more action, because 2021 will mark local government elections.
Also because all Cape Town citizens deserve better.