The homeless community in a tent camp near Greenpoint's tennis courts has been waiting with bated breath for eviction for weeks. About 100 people once lived here. But on Monday, that number was much lower.
An eviction order was granted by the High Court in December, giving the occupiers until January 31 to vacate the premises. This was subsequently extended.
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“The sheriff has been directed to evict the remaining squatters who did not voluntarily vacate the premises after 7 February. Eviction will be carried out through the sheriff and SAPS under court direction. , city social development officials and law enforcement will play a supporting role,” the city said in a media release.
And last week, 54th Ward City Councilwoman Nicola Jowell (D) said police notified the city of the postponement because resources were being put into Congress for the State of the Union and budget speeches.
Jowell reiterated that the city is “fully prepared to assist the sheriff” in “carrying out court-ordered evictions.”
The camp was established during the 2020 coronavirus lockdown, when many people lost their jobs. This area will be fenced in 2022.
When I visited the site on February 10, I saw people sorting recycled materials and sweeping in front of tents. There are no facilities such as toilets or running water on the premises.
The City of Cape Town began relocating residents from Tent City on Valentine's Day. Image: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp.
“Voluntary” relocation
On Valentine's Day, we witnessed a relatively orderly and spontaneous relocation of many occupiers. Authorities were destroying shelters. However, there was confusion about where people would be moved.
“Some residents have expressed interest in installing emergency housing kits on the site in Delft, but the site is closed to the public for fear of break-ins,” City of Cape Town spokesperson Lusando Tiharibongo said. Ta.
“In addition to dignified transition shelters, emergency housing kits and relocation are being provided to those who wish to move into space with family and friends or to private land with landowner permission.”
“That number is in flux, given that the city is currently relocating many of the tenants who have accepted offers,” Tiharibongo said.
Sean Hibbert and the Botanical Collection. Image: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp.
After losing his job and becoming homeless during the coronavirus pandemic, Sean Hibbert, 52, chose to move into a safe space in the city.
“We’ve been here just over four years,” he said. “It wasn't easy by any means. We just had to adapt. There are all kinds of people here. But we all got used to each other and we decided to split up and go our separate ways. It's going to be sad. We've really become a family.”
Hibbert was especially sad to leave his garden. He said: “It's heartbreaking to leave it there because no one will water it. They just die.”
The occupiers, who said they were initially offered Delft, said they were told they would now be moved to Lansdowne. They were very happy about this, as Lansdowne was closer to the city and considered safer.
But when asked by the city, Tiharibongo said he had never received an offer from Lansdowne.
Lorenza Manuel and her dog Sera. Unable to accommodate Serra in a safe space in the city, Manuel returned to the scene. Image: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp.
Laurenza Manuel, 59, was one of those who wanted to move to Lansdowne. She said she got into a truck Thursday with her luggage and her dog, believing she was on her way to Lansdowne. However, the truck took her to the City Safe Space site instead.
Her husband is staying at Safe Space One, but dogs are not allowed on the property. She is now back in the tent camp.
“When we first started this, they said either go to Delft or go to a shelter… What are you going to do in Delft? There's no opportunity to work… Transportation costs are too high. , there’s nothing to do,” she said.
Soraya Petersen, 64, has spent most of her life on the streets. Image: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp.
Soraya Petersen, 64, said she has been active on the streets since she was a child. She grew up in Netreg and would have been ready to move to Lansdowne, but she did not move to Delft.
“Who is going to feed us? Because there is absolutely nothing on the side they are trying to put us in,” she said.
“I went to all the shelters and they refused. I stay in the shelter for six months. After six months, I am supposed to leave because I need space. Where does that person go? Should I go, back on the street?”
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“We're all human beings. There's a reason why we're on the streets. It doesn't mean we want to be on the streets. Depending on the situation, we end up on the streets,” she said.
Fundi Hlobo said the city needs to find a better solution than what it currently offers. Image: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp.
as is
Many people say it doesn't work. Some of them were upset that they had been transferred to Strandfontein camp during the coronavirus lockdown. The South African Human Rights Commission harshly criticized the health and safety conditions in the camp.
Fundi Hlobo said city officials told them in November 2023 that their removal was “non-negotiable.”
“They are [police and the city] “They came here one morning at 7 a.m. to ambush me and told me I had applied for this ban,” she said.
“We'll get a better solution if we just deal with people who don't have shelter,” Hlobo said.
“These people have no plan for how to eradicate this problem.” [homelessness]”
due process
Stephen Underwood, a spokesman for U-Turn, an organization that works with homeless people, said the city appears to be following due process. However, people living on the streets suffer from a lot of trauma.
“How do you get rid of people who don't have a place? You can knock down their tents, you can knock down buildings, but where are they going to go?” he said.
He said U-Turn advocates for more progressive solutions and more homeless assistance centers.
Mayor Jordan Hill-Lewis said the city has made significant efforts to “extend the full range of care available to individuals who are illegally occupying public spaces.”
“The provision of shelter continues throughout this process. It is vital that public spaces remain open and available to everyone. No one should have public spaces as their own. There is no right to book and indefinitely deny offers of shelter or social assistance,” Hill-Lewis said.
“Accepting social assistance to get off the street is the best choice for dignity, health and well-being,” he said.
Mr Jowell confirmed that people were offered relocation either to Delft or to a city-run safe location.
She said Sea Point's official residents were concerned about “health and safety” and living conditions on site.
“I can't say everyone there was involved in crime,” Jowell said, but there were “criminal incidents.”
“It would be nice to have a facility where you can come with your pet. Maybe there are facilities like that in private shelters. But in terms of safe places in the city, there are facilities for animals. There is no. I understand the bond. [with a pet] There are other options available. ”
The city announced that it will expand its Safe Spaces program to include a 300-bed Safe Space in Green Point, which is scheduled to open in the coming months, from the 480 beds it currently operates in two spaces in Clemborg.
© 2024 GroundUp. This article was originally published here.
