Masiphumelele

{{short description|Suburb of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa}}

{{Refimprove|date=April 2007}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Masiphumelele

| image_skyline = Cape-town-masiphumelele-township-road-sign-ef-24-70mm-f28l-5d-cr-4611.jpg

| image_caption = Road sign in Masiphumelele township

| pushpin_map = South Africa Western Cape#South Africa

| coordinates = {{coord|34|7|S|18|22|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = South Africa

| subdivision_type1 = Province

| subdivision_name1 = Western Cape

| subdivision_type2 = District

| subdivision_type3 = Municipality

| subdivision_name3 = City of Cape Town

| subdivision_type4 = Main Place

| established_title = Established

| leader_title = Councillor

| area_footnotes = {{cite web |url=http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/199051015 |title = Sub Place Masiphumelele |work=Census 2011}}

| area_total_km2 = 0.39

| population_footnotes =

| population_total = 15969

| population_as_of = 2011

| population_density_km2 = auto

| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011)

| demographics1_footnotes =

| demographics1_title1 = Black African

| demographics1_info1 = 89.4%

| demographics1_title2 = Coloured

| demographics1_info2 = 1.8%

| demographics1_title3 = Indian/Asian

| demographics1_info3 = 0.2%

| demographics1_title4 = White

| demographics1_info4 = 0.2%

| demographics1_title5 = Other

| demographics1_info5 = 8.5%

| demographics_type2 = First languages (2011)

| demographics2_footnotes =

| demographics2_title1 = Xhosa

| demographics2_info1 = 58.1%

| demographics2_title2 = English

| demographics2_info2 = 7.6%

| demographics2_title3 = Afrikaans

| demographics2_info3 = 2.8%

| demographics2_title4 = Sotho

| demographics2_info4 = 1.6%

| demographics2_title5 = Other

| demographics2_info5 = 29.9%

| timezone1 = SAST

| utc_offset1 = +2

| postal_code_type = Postal code (street)

| postal_code = 7975

| postal2_code_type = PO box

| postal2_code =

| area_code_type = Area code

}}

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

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. 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.{{cite web|title=MasiCorp Demographics|url=http://www.masicorp.org/MasiDemographic.htm|publisher=MasihumeleleCorporation|access-date=4 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110918172234/http://www.masicorp.org/MasiDemographic.htm|archive-date=18 September 2011|url-status=dead}} Many are from the old Ciskei bantustan in the Eastern Cape.

Amenities are scarce, with an overcrowded school, no police station, and an understaffed day clinic, while it is estimated that 30-40% of the community are infected with HIV and/or TB.{{cite web|title=Living Hope Masi Page|url=http://www.livinghope.co.za/about/living-hope/communities/masiphumelele/|publisher=Living Hope|access-date=4 December 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120116092850/http://www.livinghope.co.za/about/living-hope/communities/masiphumelele/|archive-date=16 January 2012}} SHAWCO, the University of Cape Town Student's Health And Welfare Centres Organisation, runs weekly supplementary clinics from the Masiphumelele clinic.