Some homeless people, who occupy various sites in the CBD of Cape Town expressed mixed views about being removed and placed in shelters. This comes as the City of Cape Town has given an extension until this week for the enforcement of an eviction order against homeless people living in the CBD.
A Western Cape High Court order has granted the City an eviction order, which came into effect on the 1st of August. However, the City has extended the relocation, especially for those who have agreed to be moved.
The Homeless around Cape Town CBD expected to vacate the area by August. While some are willing to accept the offer of relocating to safe houses, they say it’s not as easy as it appears.
“They send me to Greenpoint with a letter, but when I came there me and another two guys they said there is no space. How can you sent someone to go there for sleep and when you came there they have not space for you? For me I don’t care where they send me in South Africa as long as I have a roof over my head.”
“Where are we supposed to go. they say go to a shelter but they are full. There is a waiting list. The new shelter they are putting now is 300 bed, 270 for men and 30 for women. It doesn’t make sense for me. It’s wrong. From what I gathered there, there are so many empty buildings around the City of Cape Town. Why not take some of those buildings and convert them to like maybe a skills program for the homeless. Try and do something, you know.”
As the court order is now effective since the 1st of August, it will prohibit any further unlawful occupation in the areas, making it a criminal office, especially in the District Six area.
Source: eNCA
