Cape Town - Residents of Goodwood have raised concerns about the poor response to their complaints about the City’s non-compliance to the lockdown directive to have all homeless removed from the street.
Goodwood Ratepayers Association (GRA) chairperson Faisal Petersen said: “The biggest concern we had even pre-lockdown is the influx of homeless people in an around the Goodwood area and the fact there has been little enforcement. Unfortunately, with the looming court case with the City with regards to issuing fines, law enforcement has been unable to enforce this and remove their belongings or clear the area because this is clearly a breach of the by-law.”
Petersen said that since the lockdown many homeless people had been setting up camp in the area.
“It’s very visible especially when you drive along Vasco Boulevard, in particular you will see many tents and makeshift shelters.
“We also have many parolees that have been released from prison also milling around the area. We have had petty crimes and opportunistic robberies taking place. Begging has increased and homeless have become very aggressive with residents,” he said. Petersen said they have reported it but nothing has come of it.
The GRA have sent a number of letters as a result of numerous complaints by ratepayers and residents, who are all complying with the lockdown, yet seeing transgressions and all law-enforcement agencies failing to intervene and deal with the matter.
“We are all highly concerned about the spreading of the Covid-19 pandemic and are adhering to the guidelines set out by national government, yet there are those who are blatantly ignoring the lockdown and posing a risk to others,” he said.
One of the letters sent to mayor Dan Plato on Friday stated that no homeless person has been removed from the Goodwood area, nor has the Bergvliet or Heidelberg sites gone up as indicated by Plato.
Spokesperson for City Law Enforcement Wayne Dyason said: “Removing people off the street is the responsibility of all officers who enforce the law including SAPS, metro, law enforcement and traffic officers. The City cannot force people to move to the sites set aside.”
@MarvinCharles17