Cape Town - Advocacy group Ndifuna Ukwazi has criticised the move by the City of Cape Town to serve eviction notices on homeless people in the city centre, saying the shelter system is not the answer.
The City, however, said it had done everything it could to help people get off the streets, but that not everyone had accepted the assistance.
The City said the Western Cape High Court had granted its application for eviction notices to be served at various unlawful occupations, including a camp outside the Castle of Good Hope.
Attorney at Ndifuna Ukwazi, Dr Jonty Cogger, said more needs to be done to find a solution to the issue of homelessness.
“We need to find out how many people are on the street, what got them on the street and what is necessary to get them off the street, and then provide those services,” he said.
“To be clear, the City has not obtained an order evicting street-based communities from their homes. It has merely obtained an order authorising the service of an eviction application by the Sheriff. This will allow street-based people to obtain legal representation and oppose their eviction in court.
“An eviction order, especially one that will perpetuate a vicious cycle of homelessness, can only be granted by a court after considering all relevant facts and personal circumstances, and where suitable alternative accommodation is provided,” he said.
The Homeless Action Coalition (HAC), meanwhile, said at no point of the process did the City engage with them for assistance in their process of giving alternative solutions to the vulnerable groups.
HAC includes people experiencing homelessness, those previously homeless as well as organisations working with people experiencing homelessness.
“Regular negative engagements with law enforcement officials have left people experiencing homelessness with a deep distrust of any CoCT involvement, and thus made attempts by fieldworkers more difficult.
“But at no point was HAC, or other experts living or working long-term in the field, contacted to assist the process of engagement with these targeted groups, to really gain an understanding of the individual’s challenges and the proposed possible solutions,” they said.
“A common critique of the current safe space and shelter system is that it only offers relief, but no change or work readiness programmes linked to trauma, substance use disorder or psycho-socio programmes.
“It does not facilitate permanent employment, or even permanent accommodation. It does not cater for families.
“On all these issues we have repeatedly tried to engage the CoCT, especially regarding the situation in the Cape Town CBD.”
City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo said HAC representatives were welcome to engage the City at any time.
“Constructive relationships to help people off the streets are most valued.
No person should live on the streets, but equally no person has the right to exclusively reserve a public space while indefinitely refusing all offers of social assistance,” Tyhalibongo said.
“All registered non-profit organisations are welcome to apply for the City’s annual grant-in-aid and winter readiness assistance, as the only metro dedicating a social development budget to helping people off the streets each year.
“The City notes the HAC’s interest in participating in a publicly-funded programme, and invites its representatives to submit their proposals via the publicly available platforms.
The HAC should also contact the Western Cape Government to find various partnership opportunities available,” he said.
“Annually the City works with a broad coalition of NGO partners across the metro to help people off the streets sustainably.
“The City further appoints NGOs to run Safe Spaces and social development programmes. These public procurement processes are open, fair, and transparent and in line with the Constitution,“ he said.
Cape Times