Cape Town - Homeless people living along the FW de Klerk Boulevard were stripped of their belongings when the City evicted them on Tuesday night.
At around 7pm, Law Enforcement officers parked their vehicles under the bridge on the Foreshore and broke down the structures and packed the material into their vans.
Anganathi Peter, 28, said: “They came to us without a warning. We knew about the eviction notice that was pasted on the pillar. There are organisations that are fighting with us at the high court.
“We were surprised to see the City here because we are supposed to meet with them in court on June 10 and then hear what the decision was. This is unlawful, we should not have been subjected to this.
“They just came and broke our houses even though the lawyers told us they can’t do that.”
The eviction affected about 30 people who claimed they had been squatting under the bridge for years.
“I have been living here for about seven years and have been homeless since I was 10 years old when my parents died and I only know the streets.
“I have a 10-year-old son, whom I had to take to my sister because nothing is certain in this place, we don’t know when we are going to be harassed by the City,” Peter explained.
“The City didn’t even give an alternative place to sleep, they just took our stuff, including our mattresses. They told us we must go and look for other places.”
The City of Cape Town said the street people were evicted in accordance with a court order granted in May 2022.
“The order granted and rule nisi issued by Acting Justice Carter on May 3, 2022 was made final on interdicting and restraining respondents from entering or being upon Erf 16388, Erf 10256, and Erf 5234, on FW De Klerk Boulevard, Foreshore, Cape Town (properties) for the purposes of unlawfully occupying same; erecting, completing, or extending any structure on the properties; and or; occupying any vacant structures that may already have been completed but which remain unoccupied on the properties.
“Intimidating, threatening, harassing or assaulting or in any way interfering with the City officials who may be involved with law enforcement and or enforcement of the requested interdict at the properties.”
According to the order the authorities have the right to immediately remove any person found to be in contravention.
The order specified that any new structures built after it was served would be removed and the belongings would be kept by the City for a week until released to the rightful owners.
In February, the Western Cape High Court had granted the City’s application for eviction notices to be served at several unlawful occupations in the city centre including Buitengracht Street, FW De Klerk Boulevard, Foregate Square, the Taxi Rank and Foreshore, Helen Suzman Boulevard, Strand Street, Foreshore/ N1, Virginia Avenue and Mill Street Bridge.
However, the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa, representing 120 homeless people, filed an intention to oppose the eviction.
The court gave the homeless group until June to file answering affidavits. The matter is set to be heard in October.