Manenberg is a busy Cape Flats community of council flats and family homes off Duinefontein Road. Lots of people share buildings and courtyards here, so our work leans towards block-level treatments and practical advice that every household can follow.
Manenberg: what drives rodents here
Rats nest in rubble and open ground and come into ground-floor flats at night. Treating the whole block at once gives far better results than one flat on its own.
The three-storey blocks of flats, known locally as courts, share stairwells, walls and roof spaces, which lets cockroaches and rodents move between units easily. Semi-detached and row houses fill the rest of the area, many with backyard rooms. Ground-floor flats near refuse areas see more rat activity.
It's flat, sandy Cape Flats ground where winter rain can pool in courtyards and on open fields. Stormwater channels nearby carry water for much of the wet season. The South-Easter blows litter and sand into corners in summer, creating cover for rodents.
From the technician
Landlords often get the call from tenants about noises in the ceiling. Proofing the roof is a one-time investment that saves repeated call-outs.
Many people think squirrels are harmless, but they chew through cables and can cause real damage in a roof.
Tell-tale signs
- Chewed electrical cables or damaged ceiling boards.
- Squirrels seen jumping from a tree onto the roof and disappearing under the tiles.
- Chewed fascia boards, barge boards or roof edges with fresh wood exposed.
- Dug-up pot plants and bulbs, and nuts buried in garden beds.
- Scratching and running in the ceiling in the early morning and late afternoon, rather than at night.
- Shredded insulation, leaves and twigs found in the roof space.
What happens when we come out
We do not use poison for squirrels. Our approach is exclusion: we find every entry point and fit one-way exclusion devices so the squirrels can get out but not back in. Where it makes sense, live cage traps are used to remove squirrels from the roof. Once the roof is empty, we close the gaps with steel mesh and repair chewed areas so they cannot get back in. We also advise on trimming branches that give squirrels easy access to the roof.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our squirrel control service works.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Fit squirrel guards on bird feeders, or move them away from the house.
- Do not feed squirrels in the garden, however cute they are.
- Pick up acorns and fallen fruit regularly if you have big trees close to the house.
- Use metal mesh, not plastic, over roof vents and gaps.
- Trim tree branches so they are at least two metres away from the roof.
Pricing, honestly
The cost depends on how many entry points there are, how high the roof is and how much repair and proofing is needed. A single gap is quick to deal with, but an older roof with many chewed areas takes longer. Trapping and follow-up visits are included in the free quote.
Squirrels in Cape Town breed mainly in late winter and spring, and again in summer, and that is when they look for sheltered nesting places such as roofs. Autumn is also busy, as they gather acorns and nuts from the oak trees.
Frequently asked questions
Can you help a whole court with a rat problem?
Yes. We can set up bait stations around the block, proof ground-floor entry points and advise residents on keeping bin areas clean.
Do you come out to Manenberg for squirrel control?
Yes. Manenberg is part of our regular Cape Flats route, along with Hanover Park, Gugulethu, Athlone, Philippi. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Will you hurt the squirrels?
No. We use one-way exclusion devices and live traps, not poison.
Why do cockroaches keep coming back to my flat in Manenberg?
Because they live in the shared walls, ducts and neighbouring units, so they reinfest a single treated flat. Treating several flats in the court together stops them coming straight back.
Are grey squirrels protected in Cape Town?
Grey squirrels are not an indigenous species. We still remove them humanely and do not use poison.
Do squirrels come back after removal?
They will try, which is why proper proofing with steel mesh is a key part of the job.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp 074 697 2254