Removal of the homeless outside the Castle of Good Hope marks significant progress, says Minister Macpherson
Mcpherson made the comment during a tree planting initiative outside the heritage site earlier on Saturday.
Cape Town's Castle of Good Hope. Picture: Wikicommons
CAPE TOWN - Public works and infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson says the removal of the homeless outside the Castle of Good Hope marks significant progress in reclaiming public property.
Macpherson made the comment during a tree planting initiative outside the heritage site on Saturday.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, along with about 100 members of the public, came out to support the greenery planting event.
Macpherson says reclaiming the Castle's periphery will restore its dignity as a national key point.
Macpherson says his department is actively reclaiming government-owned properties from unlawful occupiers, emphasising that urban decay and illegal occupations will not be tolerated under his leadership.
"Now we are going to relentlessly pursue and reclaim our asserts from those that have illegally occupied them, hijacked them, also to dispose of them where they have no right to do so."
The minister further stressed that the Castle of Good Hope - a national key point - played a vital role in tourism. Therefore, its dignity must be preserved.