Hundreds of homeless people have been evicted by law enforcement officers at the Green Point tennis court, on Thursday morning .This after the City of Cape Town obtained an eviction order from the Western Cape High Court, last week.
The court instructed the municipality to provide
alternative accommodation for the affected persons.
‘’The eviction at Bill Peters Tent City is underway today
after a roughly two-year legal process. During this period Law Enforcement’
displaced people unit and the City’s social development officials engaged the
illegal occupants on multiple occasions to offer them alternative
accommodation. These offers of alternative accommodation are continuing today
[Thursday],’’ said JP Smith, MMC for Safety & Security.
‘’The Sheriff and SAPS are leading the eviction and City
enforcement is supporting their efforts while waste management is cleansing the
area. There is a Law Enforcement deployment plan in place to secure the
property and ensure it doesn’t get occupied again post-eviction and fire
services were on the scene due to a structure that was set on fire by one of
the occupants.’’
‘’Despite the best efforts by the City, The PIE Act imposes
an unrealistic and unreasonable burden of protection on public property owners,
and where illegal occupants choose not to accept alternative accommodation property
owners are forced to approach the court for eviction causing substantial delays
to clear public open spaces,’’ added Smith.
The MMC said they are increasing their safe space footprint
and adding resources to displaced people unit within Law Enforcement.
‘’The City is committed to clearing occupied public spaces
across the Metropole. We urge the public to phone 021 480 7700 to report any
attempt to occupy public open space,’’ said JP Smith, MMC for Safety &
Security.
Done By: Mitchum George
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