State initiates joint eviction application for Wingfield, Paint City foreign nationals
18 June 2025
The City of Cape Town and national Departments of Home Affairs and Public Works are jointly seeking a Western Cape High Court eviction order for the remaining foreign nationals unlawfully occupying two sites in Cape Town, at Wingfield and ‘Paint City’ (Bellville). While hundreds of foreign nationals have accepted support to relocate from these sites over several years, the remaining unlawful occupants have refused all offers of assistance by the state and United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
Foreign nationals were initially relocated to the two sites – Wingfield and Paint City - under COVID-19 Level 5 lockdown emergency regulations, and after the High Court granted their eviction from Green Market Square and the Central Methodist Church. At the time, the foreign nationals cited fears of xenophobia and demanded relocation to Europe or Canada, which is not lawfully possible.
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) completed various repatriation and deportation processes, and with the assistance of the City and NPO’s hundreds of foreign nationals were also reintegrated back into the their local communities of origin.
DHA and UNHCR processes have long concluded at both sites, with an eviction now being sought for the remaining unlawful occupants who have refused all offers of support, and who continue to insist on relocation to a place outside of South Africa or their countries of birth. Many, if not all, of the Respondents are in family units and meaningfully engaged in self-sustaining economic activity while remaining in unlawful occupation with the aim to leverage this for repatriation to first world countries.
Around 160 unlawful occupants remain at the Wingfield site – under the custodianship of national Public Works – while around 200 remain at the City-owned Paint City site in Bellville. Violent hostility exists between factions of the unlawful occupants, as well as towards law enforcement authorities.
The DHA continues to bear expenses for tented accommodation and related matters at the sites which cannot reasonably continue with repatriation and reintegration operations now long concluded.
‘This joint application aims to restore these sites to their original public use and to bring an end to the undignified conditions for the sake of the unlawful occupants and the general public, as these sites have generated a great deal of public complaints, including traffic, crime and waste challenges,’ said Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said extensive support was offered by the state over time to assist the foreign nationals.
‘Multiple offers of assistance have been made by the DHA, UNHCR, NPOs, and the City to reintegrate and repatriate the foreign nationals, with hundreds of people having taken up these opportunities following assessment operations. The demands of remaining unlawful occupants for relocation to Europe or Canada can never lawfully be met, nor can the state continue to bear expenses related to these sites. It must also be noted that these facilities were never intended to provide permanent accommodation, but rather was meant to provide temporary shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic.’
Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson said the joint application is the result of a signed collaboration agreement between the different spheres of government.
‘This is a good example of what can be achieved when National and Local Government works together, especially with a state asset such as this property. No person has the right to unlawfully occupy state land which is why around the country, our mission is to fast-track the restoration of public infrastructure for the public good,’ said Minister Macpherson.
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
