Cape Town - Homeless people who have accepted the City of Cape Town’s offer to move into a Safe Space shelter are afraid of what lies ahead for them, while others refuse to go.
More than 150 people living at City-owned sites have already accepted the City’s offer of dignified transitional shelter at Safe Spaces.
This comes after the Western Cape High Court ruled in June that people occupying City locations, including Buitengracht Street, FW de Klerk Boulevard, Foregate Square, Foreshore, Helen Suzman Boulevard, Strand Street, Foreshore/N1, Virginia Avenue, and Mill Street Bridge, were to be evicted.
The City said 26 responders had 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.
Many of the homeless people who agreed to move into a shelter are those living in front of the Customs House on Heerengracht Street.
Themba Bangani, 54, said he agreed to go to a Safe Space because he had no other option.
Chanè Lukas, 36, said she accepted the offer to provide her 4-year-old daughter a better future.
“I want to get her some education, she must go to crèche next year. I told her we were moving and that she was looking forward to it,” said Lukas.
The Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa has issued laminated notices about the potential relocation to those who accepted the offer.
A legal representative for the homeless people, Nkosinathi Sithole, called for the whole process to be fair and transparent.
Wisdom Nzvimbo, 35, said he was afraid he won’t have a job when he moves into a shelter, so therefore he wasn’t ready to move.
“I do my work, I have a car wash. I have a lot of tools here, and I don’t think they will allow my stuff there.
“I’m not ready. I like this place, because I used to smoke tik and mandrax, so I’m rehabilitating myself here.”
SafeSafe Spaces will provide access to social workers, medical professionals, drug rehab centres and EPWP work, among other things.
Assistance will be provided for those who choose to voluntarily relocate next week.
By August 12, any person who is still occupying a City-owned space will be removed.
Sunay Leander, 48, who lives beneath the FW de Klerk bridge, said that because of her experiences, she will “not in a million years move again to a shelter”.
“You are being reminded that you come from the streets, they treat those who come from homes better than us. They abuse the people in a shelter; if you are there you get more abused,” she said.
“The shelter puts you under pressure and that leads to more and more drug use. I’m better off here than in a shelter.”
Leander said once the evictions began, she would relocate to another part of the CBD.
Chairperson of the Homeless Action Coalition, Ndodana Hadebe, said homeless people would consider their income if they accepted the City’s offer.
“Residents of safe spaces may still be able to work and earn an income, depending on their circumstances.
“If the safe space provides stability and security, it may allow individuals to save money that would otherwise be spent on basic needs like shelter and food,” Hadebe said.