Cape Town - Some of the homeless people living on the streets of the Cape Town CBD say they would rather die on the streets than move to City of Cape Town provided night shelters and transitional accommodation at City Safe Spaces.
The Western Cape High Court recently granted the City a final eviction order, enabling it to begin evicting hundreds of illegal street people occupying public places in the CDB.
The order relates to people living at City-owned sites such as Buitengracht Street, FW de Klerk Boulevard, Foregate Square, the taxi rank and Foreshore, Helen Suzman Boulevard, Strand Street, Foreshore/N1, Virginia Avenue and Mill Street Bridge in the city.
However, some homeless people who have been living in the CBD for decades, said safe spaces and shelters were worse than living on the streets.
Louie Lakay, 58, said moving was not an option for him.
Lakay, originally from Elsies River, has been living on the streets of the CBD for the past 40 years.
“It's dangerous on the street, and you have to look after yourself, especially if you don't have friends. But I won't go to a shelter, I don't know anything about eviction. A shelter is like a prison with luxury,” he said, adding “people are too judgmental of one's journey”.
Lakay is just one of the hundreds of street people illegally occupying public spaces in the CBD who are expected to vacate the area from August 1.
Benjamin Samuels, 40, who lives at the Castle, said he would not “fit in” at a shelter or safe space. “They said there are shelters but not in Cape Town. We won't adapt to life outside the city,” he said.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said it was high time that this public place was restored for public use, and not just because of tourism and its economic importance.
A total of 510 shelter beds are available across the City's two Safe Spaces at Culemborg, and a new 300-bed Safe Space in Green Point is scheduled to open in the coming months.
“It will be difficult for me because I won't fit in new surroundings. I don’t know what I’ll do, but we’ll see,” he said.
Having lived on the streets since he was eight years old, Samuels claimed he only needed assistance from the City to use the restroom during the Grand Parade.
“They gave us time until September to clean up. They said there are shelters but not in Cape Town, we won’t adapt to life outside the City.”
The National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) signed court papers three weeks ago as it intends to evict the unlawful occupants around the Castle of Good Hope.
The DPWI's papers need to be translated into Afrikaans and isiXhosa and also for a Sheriff of the Court to do loud hailing to inform the occupiers about the eviction. The application is expected to be served before the court on September 17.
The City Bowl Ratepayers and Residents Association (CIBRA) said: “Given the polarising nature of the issue, we believe our ability to contribute positively and effectively to this conversation is limited. Therefore, we are unable to comment.”
Tasso Evangelinos, CEO of the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID), said the City had made huge strides in expanding its resources to offer social assistance to those affected.
“People are living on the streets in an undignified manner and under difficult conditions, which have been exacerbated as the harsh Cape winter sets in,” he said.