Mere months after the commencement of the dune rehabilitation project and the upgrade of the Table View beachfront, vagrants have set up camp on the shore, wreaking havoc.
As vagrants setting up camp is an ongoing issue all over the city, residents claim that settling on beaches is the latest “trend”.
“More and more are making our beautiful shoreline their permanent residence and toilet,” Mary Palmer, a resident complains.
She says the “eyesore” has spread to the dune dividers where homeless people are now camping.
Deputy Mayor and Mayco member for spatial planning and environment, Eddie Andrews, told TygerBurger the wind nets (dune dividers) are used to reduce the movement of wind-blown sand. He says they request assistance when people settle there.
“The contractor and the City’s coastal management branch requests the City’s displaced peoples unit to assist when indigent people settle in the dune rehabilitation area,” Andrews says.
TygerBurger also approached Wayne Dyason, spokesperson for law enforcement, who confirmed that the law enforcement department is aware of these complaints and attend to them at least twice a week.
“People living on the street are always made aware of safe spaces available for them and officers request them to make use of the help offered by the City’s social development and early childhood development department. This help is mostly not accepted, hence they keep returning. Law enforcement officers will continue attending to these areas. The City’s social development and early childhood development department is always requested to intervene and offer assistance. The City of Cape Town constantly addresses the many challenges with regards to people living on the street and to increase assistance and capacity with safe spaces and social development initiatives,” Dyason says.
Ward councillor Paul Swart says he is well aware of and is in contact with the City regarding the issue.
“The City is well aware of the situation and received numerous complaints from relevant residents and councillors. The City through its law enforcement services is addressing the issue with utmost urgency and within the available legal ambit,” he says.
Beach front upgrade
Andrews says the Table View beachfront project has progressed well since its commencement in July 2022.
To date 94 000 plants have been rescued and planted out on dunes, 162 515 m³ sand has been moved and 23 km of netting have been installed.
“The contractor continues to maintain the wind nets and access paths. The nets have functioned as intended and while sand has accumulated seaward and at designated locations adjacent to the kite surfing areas, the adjacent infrastructure has remained sand free,” he says.
The accumulated sand at each location will be pushed back into the sea before the end of June as part of the annual maintenance and the nets in these locations reinstalled.
“Currently the contractor is undertaking planting of propagated species in preparation for the rainy season. So far 20 000 plants have been planted on the dune in March with an estimated 16 000 still to be planted by end of June, as well as overseeding.
The irrigation is expected to be fully operational by end of June.
“With regards to the civil works, the contract is pending award in April and we are hoping to commence works on site by the latest August,” Andrews says.
