Court order processes complete for various Cape Town CBD sites

16 August 2024

Over 160 people have relocated from the streets to dignified transitional Safe Space shelters following the implementation of the Western Cape High Court’s final eviction order for various unlawful occupation sites in the Cape Town CBD. Around 140 took up the offer of space at the new 300-bed Ebenezer Safe Space 3, while 26 were relocated to Culemborg Safe Space 2. The City has further helped some people to return to their home communities, and also linked a family of three to provincial social workers for placement. Others have left the various CBD sites of their own volition. 

The court order relates to unlawful occupation hotspots along Buitengracht Street, FW De Klerk Boulevard, Foregate Square, taxi rank and Foreshore, Helen Suzman Boulevard, Strand Street, Foreshore/N1, Virginia Avenue and Mill Street Bridge in the city. A standing interdict is included in the order preventing further unlawful occupation of these areas.

Vacation of these sites has been orderly and well-coordinated between authorities, with many people accepting offers of social assistance. Any personal items not claimed when vacating the sites has been documented and stored at the City's Ndabeni facility where they can be collected by the owner within the next six months.

The City's offer of dignified Safe Space transitional shelter and social services remains available at all times to help people off the streets.

'We are very happy about the significant take-up at our Safe Spaces, where people can really get the help they need to leave the streets sustainably within a dignified, healthy, and safe environment, with warm beds, hot meals, and ablution facilities. They will have access to medical care, social workers, substance abuse treatment, family reunification services, EPWP work, and personal development programmes to help them leave the streets for good.

'We are also glad to finally restore these various public places for public use in the Cape Town CBD after lengthy court processes and social developmental engagements with people living on the streets. No person has the right to indefinitely refuse all offers of social support while reserving a public place as exclusively theirs. Our public places must be open and available to all,' said Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.

City expanding Safe Space dignified transitional shelter

The City is spending over R220 million in the next three years to expand and operate its Safe Space transitional shelters beyond the current 1 070 beds across the CBD, Bellville, and Durbanville facilities.

The City currently operates two Safe Spaces at Culemborg in the east CBD which offer 510 shelter beds across the facilities, with a new 300-bed Safe Space in Green Point opened in July 2024. A further facility is on the cards for Muizenberg, with plans for more around the metro.

The City further runs the Matrix substance abuse treatment programme, with an 83% success rate for clients, addressing a key driver of why people end up on the streets.

Annually, the City helps around 3 500 individuals with shelter placement or referrals to an array of social services. In 22/23, this amounted to 2 246 shelter placements, 112 family reunifications and reintegrations, 1 124 referrals to social services, and over 880 short-term contractual job opportunities via the Expanded Public Works Programme.

The City's Safe Space model includes:

·       dignified shelter,

·       comfort and ablutions,

·       two meals per day,

·       access to a social worker on-site,

·       personal development planning,

·       various social services including ID Book and social grant assistance,

·       family reunification services

·       access to substance and alcohol abuse treatment,

·       skills training,

·       help finding a job, and

·       access to EPWP work placement

End

Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office