Cape Town - The clock is ticking for 24 people living at the former South African National Circus School next to Hartleyvale
Stadium in Observatory.
Since last year, they have been served with eviction notices from the City of Cape Town, which intends to use the land for sport and recreational activities.
The residents are due back in court on April 7.
Resident Moyo Uno said living at the former circus school was the residents’ only option. “The lease expired, from what we understand. Many of us have been staying here for years. We hoped that we could stay when we came here; rents were affordable back then, but now an ordinary room is going for R5000. Our work is close by and we make our contribution to the community, so we wouldn’t want to move,” Uno said.
He said he refused to move to Blikkiesdorp or Wolverivier.
“For what... to get a couple of sticks and wood to squat somewhere? If they don’t want us here, where should we go? There is nothing out there for the poor any more within the inner city,” Uno said.
Resident Moyo Uno in the residents’ vegetable garden. Picture: Marvin Charles/Cape Argus
The founder of the school, Dimitri Slaverse, 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.
Previously, some residents had lived in a large circus tent at the site, which was taken down.
In August last year, the City said once residents were evicted, the building that housed the school would be demolished.
It was believed residents were paying between R1500 and R2500 for a room.
Slaverse said on Wednesday: “I am not sure what is going on at the moment; the circus left two years ago.”
The leader of the Woodstock chapter of social housing pressure group Reclaim the City, Karen Hendricks, said the chapter supported the residents. “We know that there is a need for affordable housing, and we know that the City does not have any alternative accommodation plans for evicted residents,” she said.
Mayco member for community and health services Zahid Badroodien said: “The recreation and parks 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 legal process managed by the legal department is under way.”
@MarvinCharles17