As widely reported, the City of Cape Town has been urging the national government to address the situation regarding a group of homeless individuals living outside the Castle of Good Hope.
Despite the City’s best efforts to provide alternative housing at designated Safe Spaces, many have declined the offer.
Eviction order
In September this year, the Western Cape High Court granted an eviction order to the Public Works and Infrastructure Department, giving the homeless community until 17 October to leave the premises.
According to the eviction order, the City is required to provide safe accommodation for those displaced, but cooperation from former public works ministers has reportedly been lacking.
The City is currently engaging with those affected, aiming to assist them in finding transitional shelters.
Although a specific date for the eviction has not been publicly announced, the City indicated that, after exhausting all other options, individuals would eventually be required to vacate with their belongings.
Neglect and urban decay
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has emphasised the urgency of the situation, noting that the eviction is imminent and considered a crucial step toward revitalising an area that has suffered from neglect and urban decay for several years.
According to EWN, Hill-Lewis addressed the city council on Wednesday, saying the eviction would be an important milestone for Cape Town.
“That has been a site of really terrible dereliction and urban decay for the last four or five years. It’s been a very difficult problem to solve.”
He added that he was not certain how many of the homeless had accepted the city’s offer of accommodation at safe space shelters.
“The offer is freely and openly and generously made and they can accept it right up until the moment of eviction. Most of the residents accept the offer of alternative accommodation only at the last minute when they are actually being evicted.”
The urgency of the situation was underscored by a recent fire that broke out near the Castle.
Fortunately, there were no injuries reported, although the fire resulted in the destruction of three structures and left five individuals without shelter.
The Castle of Good Hope, a national heritage site, has seen a decline in visitors partly due to the conditions surrounding it, where homeless individuals have resorted to using the nearby moat for sanitation purposes.
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