Deadline looms for homeless people in CT's CBD to pack up or be evicted
In June, a Western Cape High Court order gave the city the go-ahead to evict about 200 people living on the streets in the CBD on 1 August.
FILE Homeless people living on the streets of the City of Cape Town were given until 30 July 2024 to vacate following an eviction order by the Western Cape High Court. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/ Eyewitness News
CAPE TOWN - It's D-Day for homeless people occupying public spaces in the Cape Town CBD to pack up their tent cities or face demolition.
In June, a Western Cape High Court order gave the city the go-ahead to evict about 200 people living on the streets in the CBD on 1 August.
The court ordered the city to provide alternative accommodation for the evictees at its safe spaces.
The court also ordered that those who did not take up the accommodation offers would be evicted and their structures demolished.
Housing activism body, Ndifuna Ukwazi, has questioned the suitability of the safe spaces.
Ndifuna Ukwazi attorney, Jonty Cogger: "I think the city has gone to some efforts to create safe spaces, but the question is whether or not those safe spaces are adequate or suitable enough for people who are residing on the street, some of them have been homeless for 20 to 30 years, and whether those can address the long-term needs for homeless people."
Meanwhile, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said that the city's safe spaces offered homeless people more than a roof over their heads.
"But most importantly it provides a whole menu of social services that help people on a personal development programme back, hopefully, towards independent living again. That's the point of the programme, it's not just about alternative accommodation, it's not just a roof over the head, it's about getting them up on their own two feet and getting them back into independent living."