Hanover Park residents protest eviction of elderly woman, halting rent office services

Operations at the Hanover Park municipal rent offices were suspended on Tuesday morning, October 14, following a tense standoff between residents and City officials.

A small group of protesters, opposed to ongoing evictions in the area, gathered early to demand that the City of Cape Town halt what they described as unjust removals of vulnerable individuals.

Residents, led by the South African Civic National Organisation (SANCO), blocked entrances to the office while chanting and singing, effectively preventing people from accessing municipal services.

The situation quickly escalated, forcing municipal workers to shut down services for the day.

The protest was triggered by the eviction of 75-year-old June Philander, a sickly elderly woman, which residents claim was both unlawful and inhumane.

Protesters referred to the evictions as "illegal apartheid eviction laws," expressing deep frustration over the treatment of residents.

Gary Hartzenberg, housing coordinator for the Hanover Park Civic Organisation, said the Ms Philander's eviction violated Section 26 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to adequate housing. “She was evicted unlawfully, and we’re working to have her returned to her home,” he said.

Godfrey Jacobs, chairperson of the civic group, accused the City of treating people “like dogs.” He also alleged that not only are residents being evicted, but some are having their water supply disconnected. “All of this must come to an end,” he said.

June Philander’s daughter, Nawaal Benjamini, said the family was caught off guard by the eviction. “City officials told us they were coming to repair the house, but instead, we found ourselves evicted,” she said. The incident occurred while her mother was still in the hospital.

The protesting residents pledged to support the Philander family and others facing similar evictions. Some warned they would resist any attempts to occupy evicted homes.

In addition to protesting evictions, residents also voiced frustration over employment practices, alleging that black workers are being hired while local coloured youth remain jobless.

Some even accused the City of racial bias in employment, saying coloured residents are being overlooked for jobs in areas like Khayelitsha.

In a formal memorandum handed to the City, residents made several demands, including:

• An immediate end to unlawful evictions;
• The cancellation of all outstanding rent, water, and electricity debts;
• Repairs to all vacant houses, which should then be allocated to residents;
• An end to water disconnections;
• An end to alleged discrimination against Hanover Park residents.

In response, Carl Pophaim, the mayoral committee member for Human Settlements, confirmed that Ms. Philander lived in a senior citizens’ housing complex. He said that she was recently hospitalised and is no longer capable of independent living, which disqualifies her from residing in that specific housing unit. “Senior complex tenants must be able-bodied and not in need of frail care. The City is not equipped to provide the kind of support she now requires,” he said.

Mr Pophaim denied that the house had been reallocated to anyone else. He added that the responsibility for managing and allocating residents to frail care facilities falls under the provincial Department of Social Development. “We intend to engage with the department to address this and similar situations,” he said.

He concluded by confirming that the City had received the residents’ memorandum and would respond in due course.