Pre-dawn operation moves homeless people off Cape Town’s streets

A man and child were among the many people living on the streets of Cape Town’s city centre who were moved on Friday morning. It is unclear where the child went because the new Ebenezer Safe Space in Green Point does not accommodate children.

Evictions of people living on the streets in Cape Town’s city centre continued on Friday morning. (See Homeless people removed from Cape Town’s city centre.)

The Western Cape High Court granted the City an order in June to move hundreds of people off the streets in the city centre.

This followed a court battle between the City and homeless groups living on Buitengracht Street, FW De Klerk Boulevard, Foregate Square, Helen Suzman Boulevard, Strand Street, Foreshore/N1, Virginia Avenue and Mill Street Bridge. They were represented by the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI).

The City has said it has made shelters, known as Safe Spaces, available for homeless people, and will assist with family reunifications.

When GroundUp arrived at the scene at Buitengracht Street at about 5:30am on Friday, there was already a large convoy of law enforcement vehicles. There were also disaster risk management vehicles as well as social workers at the site.

This was the second and probably final day of these evictions.

Some occupiers we spoke to said they were originally from Eerste Rivier. They packed up their belongings to move to the City’s Safe Spaces, but others preferred to move elsewhere.

From what we witnessed, there were no violent incidents and officials were respectful to the homeless people.

One man, who was removing things from his tent, was heard saying “I’m not breaking it down. They [law enforcement] can do it.”

Belongings are removed.

At the N1 on the foreshore, officials removed about five structures. We also saw a couple with a young child. It is unclear at this stage where they were being moved to.

At Helen Suzman Boulevard some people were still sleeping in their makeshift structures when law enforcement arrived.

People gathered their belonging before being moved off.

Miriam Davids, who has been living on the streets for eight years, says she wasn’t planning to go to the City’s Safe Space. Nevertheless she and her partner were moved off by law enforcement.

“The City wants us off the street, so they must meet us halfway. They want to search us [at the Safe Spaces]. We are also human beings. At the end of the day we took a wrong turn in life,” she said.

Davids said many people were reluctant to go to the City’s Safe Spaces because of the rules enforced.

City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo told GroundUp that the Safe Space sites must have rules to “ensure fair treatment for all.”

“It can’t be that the unwillingness of a few to abide by very reasonable rules means they are justified in continuing to unlawfully occupy public spaces that are there for the benefit and enjoyment of all. That said, the rules are flexible enough to allow any occupant who may require a late entry or early exit – for work or other reasons- to ask for the same.”

He added that the City assisted with relocating people who requested relocation to places other than a Safe Space or shelter. “Persons who refused assistance were simply required to leave the occupied site and abide by the terms of the order not to reoccupy the City’s land. The City’s offer of dignified transitional shelter and social services remains available at all times for those who have not yet accepted.”

Inus Gouws, who was in the area on Friday looking for work, said he lived in a makeshift shelter on the corner of Strand and Buitengracht streets, until he moved into the Ebenezer Safe Space last week.

Gouws said that he gets two meals a day at the Safe Space and 24-hour security.

Gouws lived on the streets for more than three years. “When the president announced that we’re going into full lockdown …, a few of our contracts got cut. We lost our place.”

He said that he then stayed in a guesthouse until his money ran out. “I never expected to be on the street. I did everything right like how I was taught and brought up.” Gouws added that he has a degree in IT.

“You might stay together but it’s every man for himself. You might think that guy is helping you but he won’t be helping you for free. Even though we were homeless, other people would come and rob us,” he said.

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