Bitou residents complain of housing waits and high power costs
Residents of Bitou Local Municipality in the Garden Route say housing waiting lists, high electricity costs, unemployment and poor rubbish collection hurt daily life. Bitou's housing backlog stands at 4 298 families, and narrow unemployment is 25.2%.
Noluthando Grootboom, 41, has been on a housing list since 2008. She said: "I’ve watched younger people than me get houses," and she says residents always remain on the waiting list. Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane puts South Africa's housing backlog at 2.6 million units.
In The Crags, Plettenberg Bay, shack dweller Lusindiso Thiwane said the municipality failed to collect rubbish in the township. He said shared toilets are not clean and water goes out for a day or two without notice.
Zolani Rhuneli of KwaNokuthula said the municipality only appoints the same people to its employment programmes. He said they may be used as a political tool. He also said R100 of electricity buys very few units.
Narrow unemployment is 18.8% in the Garden Route District, 20.9% in the Western Cape and 32.6% nationally. Bitou's long-term financial plan says the true figure is far higher when discouraged workers are counted. Bitou's 2026/27 capital budget is R209.8 million.
Key facts
- Who
- Noluthando Grootboom (41-year-old resident on a housing list since 2008); Zolani Rhuneli (resident of KwaNokuthula); Lusindiso Thiwane (shack dweller in an informal settlement in The Crags); Thembi Simelane (Minister of Human Settlements)
- When
- 21 October 2026
- Where
- Bitou Local Municipality, Garden Route, Plettenberg Bay
- Status
- Reported