CAPE TOWN – Residents of the Schotsche Kloof flats in Bo-Kaap took to the streets on Saturday, 13 June, protesting water restrictions that have left the scheme “without flow to household taps for approximately a month.

Demonstrators, predominantly senior citizens, held placards and barred tourists from popular photography spots on Wale and Chiapinni streets. Five law enforcement units and 20 officers were deployed to the scene.

Debt at the root of the crisis

The City of Cape Town says water supply to the 17-block, 191-unit private sectional title scheme remains in place but has been restricted to bulk water meters owing to an unsustainable and rapidly accumulating debt. Standpipes have been installed close to fire hydrants and residential units to ensure each block retains access to water.

According to the City, Schotsche Kloof Body Corporate’s overdue account currently stands at R17m, with an average monthly bill of R170 000. Only R50 000 in total has been paid in 2026 to date, a shortfall the City describes as “legally untenable”.

Body Corporate accused of failing residents

In a statement issued on Thursday, 11 June, Mayco member for water and sanitation Zahid Badroodien accused the Body Corporate of repeatedly making false undertakings regarding payment. He also blamed it for failing to provide information promised to the City to register pensioner and indigent beneficiaries, prompting the City to conduct door-to-door registrations on residents’ behalf.

The scheme houses residents across a range of income levels. However, the City says more than two-thirds do not qualify for indigent benefits, as they earn over R7 500 per month. Like others with comparable incomes across the metro, these residents are expected to pay for services rendered.

Three years of engagement

The City claims it has, over the past three years, gone above and beyond to engage the Body Corporate and avert formal debt management action.

Measures taken include:

• Going door-to-door to register all qualifying indigent and pensioner rebate unit-holders for benefits;
• Entering into several payment arrangements over time, which the Body Corporate has failed to honour;
• Writing off R9,2m in historic debt and offering further write-off measures, subject to payment arrangements being honoured;
• Obtaining a court judgment to recover the debt and compel the Body Corporate to manage the building’s affairs sustainably in the interests of unit-holders; and
• Ensuring that water restrictions do not leave residents entirely without access to water.

A Body Corporate is the legal representative of all unit-holders in a sectional title scheme and is responsible for collecting sufficient levies to cover service costs and paying these over correctly to the City.

The City claims this Body Corporate has simply failed or refused to fulfil that obligation, and that the reasons the Trustees are declining to collect or pay the amounts due remain unclear.

What happens next

The City says it is currently reviewing debt recovery options following the court ruling. This may include applying for an administrator to run the Body Corporate’s affairs and finalise a debt recovery agreement covering monthly service bills going forward and an agreed portion of the outstanding debt.

The City says it remains open to sustainable payment arrangements and the cessation of debt management action. It is, however, compelled to apply the law in a fair and equal manner to safeguard municipal income and act on debt.

Law Enforcement spokesperson, Wayne Dyason confirmed: “The City’s Law Enforcement Department can confirm that officers were on scene to assist with road closures.”