Cape Town - Sunset Beach in Sea Point had a reputation for being one of the stinkiest, dirtiest beaches in Cape Town – until a week ago. Two homeless men, Michael da Silva, 58, and Andile Mosana, 23, started cleaning it, removing the plastic and raking up the shells and rocks, which they have placed neatly against the wall.
They sift the sand using a crate and have cut open a large plastic drum which they use to move the debris.
The beach, opposite the Sea Fisheries Research Aquarium, almost looks pristine.
“I wanted to show people we can do something. We want to get off the streets,” Da Silva said.
“We’re always looking for work and we have nothing to lose.”
Da Silva says he was evicted from District Six and later went through some tough times, but he hasn’t given up yet.
“I have 11 grandchildren and I want to get out of here and go and spend some time with them.”
Mosana has a four-year-old son, who lives with his mother in Bridgetown.
He doesn’t want him to see his father begging on the streets.
The transformation of the dog-friendly beach has impressed residents, who said it has always been a bit of a dump.
Social worker and Sea Point local Talya Ressel said she noticed the pair working when she and her husband, Mark, took their dogs for a walk last week.
“They told me they wanted people to see that even though they were homeless, they could still do something.”
She posted some pictures of the two on her Facebook site and received more than 350 likes – and people started sharing her posts.
“Someone suggested the dog walkers contribute, which is a good idea, although I’d like for them if they could get a proper job in terms of sustainability.”
The beach is not the only part of Sea Point that has spruced up recently. At one stage Sea Point was referred to as Hillbrow by the Sea, but those days are long gone.
The Promenade, which had a multimillion-rand facelift this year, has an astounding mix of people who use the space for a variety of reasons.
Mpumi Mabunda, from Rustenburg, had just landed on the grassy section after tandem paragliding off Signal Hill.
“I thought I was going to be scared, but I didn’t worry at all,” the first-time visitor to Cape Town said, adding that the view had been amazing.
Further down the Promenade, a wizened vagrant relaxes in the sun, engrossed in a tattered paperback.
If you look towards Robben Island, you’ll often see stand-up paddler boarders and kayakers, along with surfers and luxury yachts.
Most evenings, there are people playing rugby, soccer, or working out on the outdoor gyms.
There is boot camp, yoga, or for the less active inclined, an opportunity to take in some public artworks – some definitely better than others.
Since the city lifted the ban on cyclists, skateboarders and rollerbladers two years ago they, too, share the space with dog walkers and joggers.
Kingsley Kaleso, of Up Cycles on the Promenade, rents bikes to tourists and locals. They are single speed bikes – for gentle cruising rather than speed.
“We always say the bikes are not for racing. We even have special deals for our oldies,” he says.
To monitor crime and drug hot spots, there are CCTV cameras and security guards on Segways.
Masixole Monye, from Khayelitsha, says his Segway can reach speeds of up to 25km/h.
“If there is a problem, I can get there in minutes,” he says.
Cape Argus