MASIPHUMELELE TOWNSHIP SOUTH PENINSULA
CAPE TOWN

Masiphumelele is a township on the Cape Peninsula, South Africa, situated between Kommetjie, Capri Village and Noordhoek. It was

Initially known as Site 5. The township was renamed Masiphumelele by its residents, which is a Xhosa word meaning "let us succeed".

About 400-500 people first settled in the area in the 1980s.

The South Peninsula had no tradition of black people whatsoever, and those that moved into the area were primarily from the Eastern Cape. 

During apartheid residents were continually removed to the suburb of Khayelitsha, over 30 km away, but the numbers began to grow as apartheid began to unravel from 1990.

In 1990, about 8000 residents lived in the area, mostly in shacks, but by 2005, over 26000 people lived there, many in brick homes. In 2010, the population was estimated at 38000, with current (2022) figures estimated as high as 65000. Many are from the old Ciskei bantustan in the Eastern Cape, with large contingents of Zimbabwean, Sudanese and Nigerian residents.

Amenities are scarce, with an overcrowded school, no police station, and an understaffed day clinic. While it's estimated that 30-40% of the community are infected with HIV and/or TB, SHAWCO, the University of Cape Town Student's Health And Welfare Centres Organisation, runs weekly supplementary clinics from the Masiphumelele clinic.