Tenants of the DCI Social Housing facility in Goodwood are set to benefit from a significant reduction in their monthly fixed water and electricity charges, following sustained pressure from the GOOD Party, civil society organisations, and residents themselves.
On Friday 15 August, tenants received written confirmation that from September onwards, their fixed utility charges will be reduced by 75,6%, amounting to a combined saving of R533,60 per household per month. Electricity fixed charges will drop from R390,87 to R115,00, while water fixed charges will be reduced from R315,23 to R57,50. In addition, tenants will now receive the first six kilolitres of cold water free each month.
GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor Axolile Notywala said the breakthrough followed months of pressure.
Unaffordable utility charges
“GOOD first became aware of the challenges at DCI Goodwood in May, although tenants had already begun raising concerns about unaffordable utility charges, intimidation, and unfair rules as far back as mid-2024. On 6 June this year, I formally raised these issues in the Human Settlements Portfolio Committee, requesting that the City investigate DCI’s billing structure. This intervention led to the City confirming on Friday 1 August that DCI had been incorrectly charged business/commercial tariffs, and to the 15 August announcement of a 75,6% reduction in fixed charges for tenants,” he said.
Incorrect billing
Human Settlements Planning Director Lawrence Valeta confirmed that the incorrect billing arose because Prasa’s lease agreement did not reflect the development’s social housing usage.
Beyond the billing issue, GOOD has called for a full-scale investigation into the management of social housing facilities across Cape Town, including reviewing all tariff applications to ensure affordability and prevent further exploitative practices. Concerns remain, however, about the intimidation of tenant leaders at DCI. Notywala confirmed that GOOD formally raised the issue with City officials on 30 July after a young woman leading meetings at the facility was attacked.
Residents safety
“Residents must be able to organise freely and without fear. We have called on the City, the Western Cape Government, DCI management, and SHRA to take urgent responsibility for tenant safety, including police protection, investigating incidents of violence, and ensuring transparency in management,” he said.
GOOD maintains that the DCI victory demonstrates the power of organised tenants.
He warned, however, that serious challenges remain, including service quality issues and transparency in management. “While this outcome is a significant win for tenants, South Africa cannot claim to be building inclusive cities while poor and working-class residents are priced out of their homes by unfair utility charges. Everyone deserves affordable, dignified housing,” he concluded.
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