The Western Cape High Court has granted the City of Cape Town’s application for eviction notices to be served at various unlawfully occupied areas in the city centre.

News24 reports the city said the notices would be served before the next court hearing in April, when the court may grant a final eviction order.

The city said yesterday that while some homeless people accepted offers of support, unlawful occupants receiving notices had consistently refused all social assistance offers while occupying busy intersections and roads in the CBD unlawfully. 

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis added that illegal occupations of the city's open spaces had an impact on traffic, and the safety of pedestrians and local businesses critical to growing the economy.

Lobby group Ndifuna Ukwazi, which has represented the homeless in several court cases, said it was relieved that the city had accepted its constitutional duty not to evict unlawful occupiers of public land illegally.

Daniellé Louw, an attorney for the organisation, said the prevailing attitude by the city towards homelessness had been to address complaints from brick house residents rather than those in need themselves.

Full News24 report

See also full Cape Argus report

The City of Cape Town said eviction notices are to be served at unlawful occupation hotspots along Buitengracht Street, FW De Klerk Boulevard, Foregate Square, Taxi Rank and Foreshore, Helen Suzman Boulevard, Strand Street, Foreshore / N1, Virginia Avenue and Mill Street Bridge in the city.

The city said it will continue adding more transitional shelter beds in the coming months to help more people off the streets across different parts of the metro. 

A 300-bed ‘safe space’ is on the cards for Green Point to help people off the streets in the CBD and seaboard area.

The city will soon file a planning approval application for this new facility, which will follow the full regulatory and planning process before being implemented. Comment by affected parties will be called for and duly considered.