The relocation of over 880 families from the Cape Town central railway line has been successfully completed, according to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). The families, who had illegally occupied the railway reserve in Philippi and Nyanga, Cape Town, have been moved to a temporary site along Stock Road in Philippi East.

The relocation was initiated as part of PRASA's efforts to recover infrastructure and restore train services along the Central Line, which had been partially cleared up to Nyanga station. The line had ceased operations in October 2019 due to theft and vandalism.

While the temporary site at Stock Road has been equipped with basic services such as water and portable toilets by the City of Cape Town, residents have raised concerns about the inadequate number of toilets and unreliable water supply. They currently have to fetch water from neighboring suburbs or informal settlements.

PRASA spokesperson Andiswa Makanda stated that the relocated households would enable the agency to restore services from Nyanga to Chris Hani in Khayelitsha. However, she emphasized that the relocation is temporary, and the households will be moved to a permanent site once statutory processes are finalized.

Security personnel will remain at the railway site to prevent unauthorized occupation. The permanent relocation of 1,251 households from Langa to the Weltevreden site in Mitchells Plain is pending the outcome of a rezoning application submitted to the City, with the Municipal Planning Tribunal set to make a final ruling based on public comments and PRASA's submissions.

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