Safe Spaces for homeless get the nod
IN WHAT the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (Seri) hailed as a victory for unhoused people in the city, about 150 individuals will be provided with alternative accommodation at the City’s Ebenezer Safe Space 3 and Culemborg Safe Space 2.
This is instead of Culemborg Safe Space 1, which Seri said was in a deplorable and uninhabitable state, following court action to evict homeless people living in areas including Buitengracht Street, FW de Klerk Boulevard, Helen Suzman Boulevard, and Mill Street Bridge.
The Western Cape High Court granted a variation order in which the City will facilitate voluntary relocations to their transitional shelters from August 5 to 9, with evictions scheduled to proceed after August 12 for those who remain. The eviction date was shifted from the initial July 30.
Current structures have to be disassembled before people are relocated, and possessions which people cannot take to the Safe Space, bagged, labelled and stored for six months.
Seri said the new Ebenezer Safe Space 3 and Culemborg Safe Space 2 are adequate and dignified human habitation safe spaces.
“Upon conducting a series of consultations with our clients from 25 to 28 June 2024, it became clear that despite the amended rules in the City’s Safe Spaces, Safe Space 1 is in a deplorable and (un)inhabitable state unacceptable to our clients as it does not have surrounding walls and would expose our clients to the elements. This concern was aggravated by the timing, considering that Cape Town is in midwinter with low temperatures and regular rainfall expected,” Seri said.
According to Seri, those who live as a family together with their children will be referred to the Provincial Department of Social Development by the City in terms of the court order. Further, the Safe Spaces will function with amended rules taking away the daytime lockout and allowing residency beyond six months for those residents who have not been able to secure accommodation.
The City currently operates two Safe Spaces at Culemborg in the east CBD, which offer 510 shelter beds across the facilities, with a new 300bed Safe Space in Green Point opened in July 2024, and a further facility on the cards for Muizenberg, with plans for more around the metro.
Last week, mayor Geordin HillLewis said: “We are pleased that the majority of people have accepted the offer of dignified Safe Space transitional shelter.
“They will also have access to medical care, social workers, substance abuse treatment, family reunification services, EPWP work, and personal development programmes to help them leave the streets for good. Accepting social assistance to get off the streets is the best choice for dignity, health, and well-being, and the City has gone to great lengths to extend every offer of care to individuals unlawfully occupying public places in various parts of the CBD.”
The City did not respond to a request for comment on the state of Culemborg Safe Space 1.
Land and housing non-profit organisation Ndifuna Ukwazi’s attorney, Jonty Cogger, said: “While we appreciate that the City has made an effort to provide safe spaces for people residing on the streets, it remains to be seen whether or not that provision of alternative accommodation is suitable and adequate to address systemic homelessness in Cape Town. We all are aware that homelessness is the tip of the iceberg in relation to inequality in our city.
More needs to be done to resolve those systemic and structural issues not just look at homelessness as one aspect of inequality.”