The City evicted the remaining squatters occupying a field in Durbanville’s Baxter Street, last Tuesday, after the Western Cape High Court granted a final eviction order in November.
The City says it has provided the squatters social assistance and dignified transitional shelter for several months, including on the date of the eviction.
“On the date of the eviction, several more unlawful occupiers accepted offers of dignified transitional shelter, and the City was further able to reunite several people with their families. The unlawful occupants who were ultimately required to vacate the premises had refused all offers of social assistance over time,” the City said.
The order includes a standing interdict against any unlawful occupation at Baxter Street and the City-owned public spaces in the area.
“Unlawful occupants are interdicted from occupying the properties stipulated in the order and they will be required to vacate by Law Enforcement should this be necessary,” said the City.
Meanwhile, there are plans for an expansion of the City’s Safe Space homeless shelters in Bellville and in Cape Town through a R142 million project over the next three years.
“In Durbanville, consideration is being given for a new Safe Space in the area, among these locations being at the new public transport interchange development,” the City said, adding, “We are exploring the potential use of a building at the Durbanville public transport interchange for repurposing as a Safe Space at a projected cost of R2 million.”