Cape Town - A petition has been started to halt the eviction of residents who have been illegally staying at the former SA National Circus School next to Hartleyvale Stadium in Observatory.
Resident Moyo Uno said living at the former circus school was their only option, and that they were currently in limbo.
“The City has constantly evicted people and we don’t feel safe. We are still in court but there has been no date set yet. We have had better communication with our residents around the area.
"We are supplying food to the homeless from our garden. We are continuing our agriculture and we want to distribute food from our garden to soup kitchens. Hopefully the City will take a step back and see that we are not doing any harm,” he said.
The residents have started growing vegetables on the property as a way to supply food.
Since 2018, they have been served with eviction notices from the City. More than 24 residents are staying on the property.
The founder of the school, Dimitri Salverse, allegedly started to illegally sub-let the property, which belongs to the City, in 2016. According to court documents, the property has been earmarked for sport and recreational activities and will form part of the Hartleyvale sporting precinct.
Salverse said he was not involved in the eviction and was not sure what was going on at the site. In August last year, the City said that once residents were evicted, the building that housed the school would be demolished.
The petition, which already has more than 300 signatories, calls on the City to engage meaningfully with residents and respond to their concerns.
It also seeks a guarantee that the residents will be provided with alternative accommodation should the eviction order be granted.
“We are doing positive work for the community and everyone is
recognising it. The homeless situation is getting worse and the City needs to understand they are dealing with human beings,” he said.
Mayco member for community service and health Zahid Badroodien said: “The property belongs to the City and is under the management of the recreation and parks department.
"The department had originally earmarked this building for sporting purposes. The building was never intended for domestic occupation and was declared unsafe by the fire department.
"The tenants illegally occupying the building were issued an eviction notice, and a process managed by the City’s legal department is currently under way.”
Badroodien said a court date was scheduled for later this month.
@MarvinCharles17