The EFF urges Cape Town to prioritise affordable housing over punitive evictions in addressing its growing homelessness crisis. File Picture: Leon Lestrade / Independent Newspapers
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the Western Cape have condemned recent evictions of homeless individuals from Cape Town's streets, accusing the Democratic Alliance (DA)-led City of Cape Town government of prioritising aesthetics over basic human dignity.
More than a hundred informal structures were reportedly demolished, leaving many homeless and without adequate shelter options.
This comes after The Sheriff of the High Court, along with enforcement agencies from the City of Cape Town and the South African Police Service (SAPS) executed the evictions of those living along the premises of the Castle of Good Hope on Friday.
In September, Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson welcomed the eviction order granted by the Western Cape High Court for the removal of unlawful occupants at the Castle of Good Hope and noted that they cannot allow State assets to be vandalised.
In a statement, Unathi Ntame, the EFF's provincial chairperson, described these actions as "heartless", underscoring the lack of a comprehensive strategy from the City to address homelessness.
"This is a government that continues to prioritise tourist attractions over the welfare of its most vulnerable residents," Ntame said.
He criticised the evictions as part of a broader pattern of neglect and indifference, rooted in a colonial legacy that has perpetuated systemic inequality.
According to the EFF, Cape Town’s spatial planning history is central to understanding its current homelessness crisis. The apartheid-era design of the city marginalised black communities, placing them far from economic centres and infrastructure, and these spatial divides have persisted.
"The homelessness crisis in Cape Town is not merely a current social issue but a consequence of deeply rooted colonial legacies," Ntame stated.
This system, he argues, still influences today's policies and prevents access to essential services, economic opportunities, and decent living conditions.
Instead of addressing homelessness with empathy and support, the EFF argues that the City has responded by criminalising poverty.
"With abundant resources at its disposal, it is unacceptable that Cape Town fails to uphold the basic needs and rights of its citizens," Ntame said.
Ntame noted that Cape Town currently offers three "Safe Space" shelters, but these reportedly lack adequate facilities and resources, with only 1,070 bed spaces available across three locations in Cape Town City Centre, Bellville, and Durbanville.
Given that the city’s homeless population is estimated at between 6,600 and 14,000, the EFF claims this provision is woefully insufficient.
"The City must recognise its responsibility to protect and uplift all its citizens, rather than fostering a hostile environment that prioritises business interests over basic human rights," Ntame said.
Instead of evicting people, the EFF has called the DA-government to release available parcels of land and buildings to develop mixed income and social housing in and around the CBD, and to fix all of its derelict buildings to accommodate homeless people.
“The EFF demands an immediate end to the evictions and calls on the City of Cape Town to adopt policies that treat homelessness with "dignity, compassion, and justice."
This approach, Ntame suggests, is the only way to confront the lasting impacts of historical injustice and provide the people of Cape Town with the support they deserve.
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