Khayelitsha residents demand accountability from councillors during tense imbizo

Tensions flared at a councillors’ imbizo in Khayelitsha on Thursday after Mayco Member for Finance, Siseko Mbandezi, was forced off stage by disgruntled residents.

The imbizo, hosted by Ndifuna Ukwazi, the Solidarity Space, and My Vote Counts, at OR Tambo Hall, was intended as a platform for residents to question elected leaders about housing, service delivery, and accountability.

However, the majority of Democratic Alliance councillors did not attend, leaving only Mbandezi and one other councillor present, both of whom left the event early.

Mbandezi said he was unable to give his full input because residents “started chanting that I should leave the stage”.

He told reporters that the proper process would have been to allow him to finish before engaging with residents.

“You can’t chase somebody off stage, and then say you need them to answer questions. The decency would have been to let me finish and then engage. People don’t want to hear the progress we’ve made, they just make accusations,” he said.

He insisted that his remarks about the City’s housing projects and MyCiTi bus upgrades were misinterpreted, clarifying that the programme was about well-located land in areas such as Woodstock and Salt River, not Khayelitsha.

Mbandezi described the event as being “anti-City of Cape Town” in tone.

"But also, I think the whole programme started on the wrong foot. I mean, the lady there from My Vote Counts, and the other gentleman, they made accusations: 'These people steal money; they live in luxury. I met these people at the Waterfront.' It can't be right. And the Ndifuna Ukwazi's invitation was never antagonistic in its approach. They invited us to have a discussion.”

Campaigners disputed this, saying the event was intended to hold councillors accountable rather than highlight future developments.

Campaigns lead at My Vote Counts, Keamogetswe Seipato, said the gathering was a clear signal that local democracy requires active participation.

“Our expectation was an opportunity to engage. The fact that councillors from the governing party did not attend shows how our democracy is failing. Respect is a two-way street, residents wanted accountability, not speeches about a ‘nice city’ many do not experience,” Seipato said.

She also refuted Mbandezi’s claim that organisers had called councillors thieves.

“No one called anyone a thief. Community members voiced their frustrations with failures of democracy. If someone takes that personally, they must sit with it,” Seipato said.

ANC Dullah Omar Region chairperson, Ndithini Thyido, welcomed the initiative, saying his party “volunteered” to attend.

“We want to make the ANC attractive again by accounting directly. The DA, however, has shown it does not represent the interests of black people in Cape Town. They send juniors to confront black communities while their top leadership stays away,” Thyido said.

The EFF’s Banzi Dambuza also criticised the DA for neglecting poor communities.

“Cape Town is divided into Cape Town and iKapa. Black and coloured people are treated as voting numbers, they want toilets, water, electricity, and cleaning services, but instead the DA prioritises squirrels and barking dogs in white suburbs,” he said.

Residents raised their concerns during the event. Thandeka Pamla said families had been living in temporary housing for more than 20 years.

“The government could build flats on the same land they placed us on,” she said.

Khanyo Mantshi from Unite Behind Disability Revolution asked whether disabled residents were allowed to make input.

“Do you allow disabled people to make input, or do you decide for us? We are suffering and need to know what is being done,” Mantshi said.

Despite walkouts and confrontations, organisers described the gathering as a success in creating space for accountability.

“We created the space. Power lies with councillors and politicians; they should come to us, not the other way around,” Seipato said.

Cape Times