A sprawling tent village that had been the subject of ongoing frustration was finally dismantled, and vagrants removed, in a joint operation by council and community organisations from Friday 3 to Monday 6 March.
Situated across from Somerset West Police Station, De Beers Park has seen an influx of vagrants since the beginning of the pandemic-induced lockdown back in 2020 and has been a continuous bone of contention.
Until the latest action the City of Cape Town had been inundated with desperate pleas for a solution to the homeless camped out in makeshift tents, a matter that not only resulted in an eyesore in the heart of Somerset West, but regularly posed a nuisance to nearby residents of Private Road (“Homeless situation impossible!”, DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette, 15 October 2020).
Daily complaints of harassment, intimidation, health concerns and public indecency became the norm and City action was restricted due to national legislation preventing complete removal of the squatters (“Bylaws invoked with homeless”, 15 June 2022).
The latest action, aided by NPO Itemba – Circle of Hope which assisted the City to get squatters off the street, has been described as “humane, dignified and caring social services intervention”.
Ward 84 councillor Norman McFarlane said apart from following due process from a bylaw, national legislation and constitutional rights perspective, City Social Services has pursued up to six engagements with each individual, with the specific intention of assisting with movement to a safe space, reuniting with family, reintegration into society, assistance with substances abuse and mental health issues, acquisition of IDs and access to employment opportunities.
“It must be noted that many people on the street decline these offers of assistance, preferring to remain on the streets,” McFarlane said. “That is their choice, but it does not entitle them to squat illegally on City or private land. As much as homeless people have constitutional rights to due process and protection under the law, so too do the residents who live adjacent to De Beers Park to an environment that is safe, clean and peaceful, hence the need to proceed with the removals.”
McFarlane further said all illegal squatters were given ample formal notification – seven days’ warning – of the intention to serve notice and execute removals, giving them the opportunity to vacate the area voluntarily. According to him the operation commenced on Friday morning, resulting in a number of structures being demolished and residue removed by Urban Waste Management.
About 13 structures, mainly tents, which were moved to the centre of the field, remained following the clearing action on Friday due to a shortage of safe spaces available by the assisting Strand organisation.
McFarlane said the removal of the remaining structures, which amounted to 20 on Monday morning, was completed later that afternoon, and any illegal squatters who declined the offer of assistance and chose to remain on the street were escorted off the property.
“One of the vexing problems the City faces is reoccupation after effecting removals. As much as it would be ideal to have a permanent law enforcement presence at each vulnerable location, that is patently impossible. The only way to prevent reoccupation, particularly at night, is for neighbourhood watches to assist with regular patrolling of these areas and for the community to call in to law enforcement on 021 480 7700 if they spot anyone settling on City land.”
George Kruger, who works at the Victim Support Centre situated adjacent to the police station, hailed the operation as a huge success, citing increasing incidents of crime and further trauma to victims by lewd and vulgar behaviour emanating from vagrants.
He said: “I’d been engaging representatives of several City departments directly on this matter, including MMC for Safety and Security Reagen Allen and Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, and also raised it again during recent security meetings. It was a relief to see law enforcement issuing notices to the vagrants last week ahead of the clean-up operation.”
Kruger, who also serves on Victoria Park Neighbourhood Watch, acknowledged the support of Helderberg Crime Watch (HCW) and police in tackling this issue and seeing it through.
A resident of Private Road, who along with neighbours had, for years, been requesting authorities to resolve the problem of homeless living right across the road from them, also breathed a sigh of relief at the clearing of the tents.
“We’re pleased that the vagrants have been offered alternative accommodation and social services, although we’re sceptical as to whether this will be a long-lasting solution. It’s like we’re entering a new phase having to think of ways to keep them out, and as a community we now have the chance to restore the park and make it beautiful again so that we all can be proud of it.”
McFarlane said between six and eight vagrants who were expected to remain on site would be accommodated by the NPO within the next few days or as soon as possible.
Itemba Circle of Life COO, Niklaas Thyssen, said they’ve been dedicated to the plight of the homeless since last year and have been working extensively on employment programmes and reintegration into society as well as temporary accommodation, and will follow suit on these processes.
“At least 50% of these vagrants have pledged their cooperation and we’re working with the Department of Social Services to have these individuals join night shelters or rehabs,” he said.
