Squatters’ eviction for public good - councillor
Some squatters on the Omuramba Road pavement in Joe Slovo have cleared off after the City was granted a court order to evict them.
The occupied area of the road, which spans Omuramba Business Park and Sinenjongo High School, saw an influx of vagrants during the pandemic, causing frustration for residents and business owners, according to ward councillor Anthony Benadie.
The court order instructed the sheriff of the court to notify the squatters on Saturday July 1 that they had until Monday July 31 to leave the area or be evicted on Tuesday August 1 with the help of the police.
According to the court order, 11 families were living on the street, but, on Monday July 31, Tabletalk found only four makeshift dwellings there.
A woman, who would only identify herself as Cheryl, said some of the squatters had returned to their families while others had moved to a nearby location.
Further down the pavement, Wes Abrahams, 49, said he had fled crime in Kensington to live among the homeless in Milnerton for more than 20 years.
He had moved to Omuramba Road two years ago after being “chased away by the City” somewhere near Montague Gardens, he said.
“The City just comes along and breaks our things; they don’t care about us. Where must we go?”
The City had offered the street people a “piece of land” in Atlantis, but he said it was too far away and he was unfamiliar with the area and the people living there.
Basil Hendricks, 59, emerged from his shack to say he had been living on Milnerton’s streets for 35 years.
“My marriage was a failure, and I never had family that supported me, so I decided to move to the streets and found that it’s not all that bad out here.”
Sweeping the pavement, Carol October, 52, said, “I have tried to move back home, but I believe that I have a mission to complete with my street family.”
She hopes the City or a charity will give the homeless land where they can earn money from recycling.
“We recycle every day. It’s the way we provide for ourselves. The dream is for every homeless person to be sent to the piece of land, be taught about the effects recycling have on the environment, and for them to have an income, where they would have their own banking accounts. However, they would need proof of residence for that, which is why we need the land.”
For now, she would remain in Omurambu Road as she had nowhere else to go, she said, adding that not all street people were criminals or drug addicts; some were just unlucky.
Mr Benadie welcomed the eviction order, saying he had received daily complaints of harassment, intimidation, health hazards, and public indecency linked to the squatters, and their occupation of the site had disrupted surrounding businesses.
The City also had an interdict to prevent the re-occupation of the area in the future, he said.
“The City will continue to act to protect public spaces and prevent illegal land invasion. However, the length of time taken by the court system remains a major obstacle to speedier progress.”
The City had offered the squatters various alternatives, including moving them to shelters and reuniting them with their families, but they had refused, he said.
“Not only did the occupants reject this offer, but also the offer of social assistance, treatment for any medical challenges. They also rejected the offer to go to a City safe space or substance abuse treatment, where required.”
The eviction was in the interest of the general public good, he said.
Sinenjongo High School and Milnerton police did not respond by deadline to requests for comment.
