The City of Cape Town has been granted permission by the high court to serve eviction notices on homeless settlements across the CBD where destitute residents living on the street have “refused all offers of social assistance”.
Eviction notices will be served before the next court hearing in April, when a decision on whether to make the eviction order final will be made, the city said on Monday.
Unlawful “occupation hotspots” include sites along Buitengracht Street, FW De Klerk Boulevard, Foregate Square, Helen Suman Boulevard, Strand Street, Foreshore/N1, Virginia Avenue and Mill Street Bridge.
The number of destitute residents living on the street increased during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Evictions were a measure of “last resort” for those refusing accommodation offered under the city’s expanded alternative shelter programme. “Over time, city social development officials have made repeated offers of social assistance to those unlawfully occupying public spaces in the city, including offers of dignified transitional shelter at NGO-run night shelters and city-run safe spaces,” said the city.
“While some have accepted these offers of support, the unlawful occupants receiving notices are those who have consistently refused all offers of social assistance while continuing to unlawfully occupy busy intersections and road reserves in the CBD.”
