The City of Cape Town will, at all times, uphold the law, and has a responsibility to carry out its duties in this regard for all communities and residents. We cannot have two sets of laws, no matter how much some organisations insist upon it.
Throughout the global coronavirus pandemic, the City of Cape Town has delivered South Africa’s highest service reach to the homeless. Together with expert NPO partners, the City sheltered more than double the number of homeless compared to the whole of Gauteng, according to national Social Development statistics reported in Parliament at the time.
Earlier this week the City engaged with a group of homeless persons in the Green Point area and offered them alternative accommodation at the various shelters across the City. Similar operations were conducted in other areas across the City.
The City offered alternative accommodation at its Safe Spaces and at the Haven Shelters but this accommodation has been steadfastly refused by many of those living on the street. At the Safe Spaces and shelters, accommodation and social assistance are offered. Registered Social Workers provide social assistance, which include social integration. Much-needed Drug Rehabilitation services are also offered. Given these services, there is no reason for anyone to live on the street.
Criticism that the City has been acting unlawfully have no legal or factual basis. The tent dwellers were given repeated notification that their occupation was unlawful. City enforcement staff were then compelled to remove the illegally erected structures as we maintain that no person should have to live on the street. The City was acting under the Streets By Laws in carrying out the lawful impounding of the tents that were erected without authorisation of the lessees of the vacant land.
‘The City has, over the past year, received a large number of complaints regarding public disorder at some of the illegally erected structures around the city. The City has a responsibility to act on these complaints. Unfortunately some organisations, instead of assisting the homeless and finding real solutions choose to engage in costly legal challenges against the City that ensure the homeless remain homeless and living on the street. This is a disgrace and this race to the bottom does nothing to assist those most in need,’ said Dan Plato, Executive Mayor of Cape Town.
‘The city provides considerable funding towards homeless shelters as well as our homeless integration programme through which job training and education opportunities are provided, as well as rehoming services and reconnecting homeless persons with family and friends,’ said Mayor Plato.
The City’s Social Development and Early Childhood Development Department earlier this year approved funding of R19 169 106 to qualifying community organisations in the form of Grants-in-Aid. The disbursement of humanitarian aid to non-government organisations through sponsorship enable recipients to implement various social upliftment programmes and improve the quality of life of many residents across the metropole. The disbursement to 32 organisations will aid thousands of residents in need, which include the homeless, Early Childhood Development Centres as well as shelters working with survivors of gender-based violence.
The following list shows the breakdown in funding per category:
Youth Involvement – R 3 189 516
People living with disabilities – R1 797 900,00
Early Childhood Development – R598 000,00
Street People – R7 493 690,00
Substance Abuse – R610 000
Gender Based Programmes – R3 160 400,00
Arts and Culture – R 2 319 600,00
The City of Cape Town remains the only metro in South Africa to allocate a social development budget for people living on the street, despite the constitutional mandate for welfare lying with national and provincial government.
Source: City Of Cape Town
