Homeless in CT evicted from the streets, city says it seeks to restore public places

CAPE TOWN - Homeless people were being evicted from the streets of Cape Town on Friday, as the city seeks to restore public places.

The evictions come after the City of Cape Town was granted a court order for homeless people to be removed from various sites in the CBD.

The order allows the sheriff of the court to evict homeless people who have illegally occupied sites in the city, including areas along Buitengracht Street, Foregate Square, Helen Suzman Boulevard, and the Foreshore, among others.

When Eyewitness News visited sites previously occupied by homeless people in the city on Friday, many of them had already been cleared.

Earlier in the day, the city's law enforcement unit and Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers went through the city dismantling informal structures and tents, before offering the homeless accommodation at the city's safe spaces.

Omar Burger, who has been living on the streets for 24 years said he was woken up on Helen Suzman Boulevard at 5am.

"This [Friday] morning law enforcement came and just took all of our stuff... No one can take our things… And we don't have to move if we don't want to... And eventually, we stayed, and law enforcement came and took all our stuff."

Ronald Pieterse, who was evicted from a site along Buitengracht Street said he wouldn’t be moving to a safe space.

"I don't want to go by the shelter... Because why, it's not going to be the same. They're going to treat us otherwise... They’re not gonna treat us right... I know... They're not gonna treat us right."

The city said that persons who refuse assistance are required to leave the occupied sites and abide by the order not to reoccupy city land.