Victor Steyn, Surrey Estate
Can you believe it? “Dis bitter swaar, maar dis immers aaklik waar.”
This letter refers to the ongoing and protracted delay in the repair, rebuilding, or refurbishment of house number 104 Taurus Road, Surrey Estate, Athlone, 7764, Cape Town. The house was destroyed in a fire on Sunday, May 26, 2024.
Despite numerous representations by the affected family to the Western Cape Government’s Department of Human Settlements, there has been no clear indication of when the house will be repaired.
The Western Cape Provincial Government is the landlord and owner of this property, which forms part of a cluster of similar housing units located in the same precinct in Surrey Estate, Athlone East.
The occupants of the house, the Fortune family, have lived there since 1957.
They have already endured two bitterly cold and wet winters in 2024 and 2025 and now face the prospect of a third winter in June 2026 without a repaired home. If there were ever a real-life example of repeated hardship caused by government non-performance, this would be it.
The family has suffered devastating and life-changing losses, including damage to rented housing stock and the loss of personal possessions. This raises a troubling question: Is the situation endured by the Fortune family a warning of what poor and vulnerable people can expect in the future from those elected to serve them?
Our last meeting with officials from the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements took place on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at their offices at 27 Wale Street. To date, we are still awaiting the outcome of that meeting and an official response from the province before considering what options remain to resolve this apparent impasse.
Stephen Heyns, Department of Infrastructure, responded:
The Department of Infrastructure notes that 104 Taurus Road is part of a larger property with several rental units. A fire occurred in June 2024. The cause was later determined to be an open flame, though tenants disputed this, claiming an electrical fault, which delayed the department’s response.
Repairs require temporary relocation, and an alternative dwelling was offered, but declined by the tenant. A recent assessment will guide repairs not only to the affected unit but also to the seven other rental units on the property. Tenants will be formally informed in February 2026.
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