Cape Town - While homeless adults living on City-owned property are voluntarily moving following an eviction order, the future of their children remains uncertain as accommodations for minors are not catered for at the City’s Safe Space shelters.
Over 150 homeless people have accepted the City’s offer of dignified transitional shelter at Safe Spaces following a Western Cape High Court granting the final eviction order for unlawful occupation sites in the CBD.
Twenty-six of the respondents opted to go to Culemborg Safe Space 2, while 127 had voluntarily chosen to relocate to the recently built Ebenezer Safe Space, which has 300 beds.
However, the City said Safe Spaces does not cater for the accommodation of minor children.
According to the City, in terms of the court order, families with children who are living with them must be referred to the Western Cape Department of Social Development, which has a mandate to investigate and relocate families who are on the streets.
The City said it does this as a matter of course in all matters where vulnerable children are brought to the attention of their social workers, and the information is also then passed on to the Western Cape Commissioner for Children.
The City-owned sites from which the homeless people have been evicted include Buitengracht Street, FW de Klerk Boulevard, Foreshore, Helen Suzman Boulevard, Strand Street, Foreshore/N1, Virginia Avenue, and Mill Street Bridge.
Chané Lukas, 36, is prepared to move into a shelter after living in a makeshift tent in front of Customs House in Heerengracht Street with her 4-year-old daughter. However, Carlos Mesquita, an activist for the homeless, said Lukas wasn’t aware of the policy concerning children.
“But the mother knows nothing about this either. So where is the City’s caring in this? Are the mother and child going to be left on the streets to move along to another spot in the CBD?” Mesquita said.”
Lukas is expected to make her way to a Safe Space today, while those living under the FW de Klerk bridge are expected to vacate by tomorrow.
Department of Social Development (DSD) spokesperson, Esther Lewis, said DSD is contacted where assistance with psychosocial support is needed, particularly if there are minors involved who may need care and protection.
Lewis said if a report is made of a child in need of care and protection to a designated child protection organisation, the statutory process will unfold.
“That is, a child protection investigation will take place and findings presented to the Children’s Court, who will make a ruling on the child’s placement,” she said.
Cape Argus