Squatters who live under Cape Town’s freeway bridges are defying city council attempts to move them and say they will resist evictions because they don’t want to be moved to “shanty towns” like Happy Valley near Blackheath.
At least two major bridges are still being used as shelters by homeless people despite the city’s efforts to remove them.
These include the N7 bridge near Acacia Park and the M5 bridge near Maitland.
Both bridges are in need of repair work after they were damaged by shack fires.
In October 2006, the N7 bridge was closed for several days after a shack fire, in which two people died, caused structural damage to the concrete and steel reinforcing.
This prompted the city to move people living under bridges to temporary relocation areas like Happy Valley and a site in Factreton.
Seth Maqethuka, the city’s director for Integrated Human Settlements, said the city was not aware of any bridges that still had squatters living under them.
“We would welcome any information on this,” he said.
He said all the city’s bridges were cleared of squatters and that court orders had also been issued for those who resisted moving.
He said the city had evicted squatters from several bridges including the M5, Eastern Boulevard, Langa, Vanguard Drive and Koeberg interchange.
But when the Cape Argus visited the M5 Bridge near Maitland on Thursday, some of the squatters confirmed that they were still living under the bridge because of poor living conditions in Happy Valley, where the municipality moved them.
They also admitted they were still making fires to keep warm and to cook.
Squatters living near the N7 bridge at Acacia Park say they had been ordered to appear in the Goodwood magistrate’s court on June 21 for illegally occupying the land.
They had moved back to the land just metres from the bridge.
They cite poor living conditions, victimisation and lack of privacy at Factreton as reasons for moving back.
Waleed Sebrane, 31, said he had moved back to the M5 Bridge to be close to his work and his children’s schools.
“My children go to school in Maitland and Brooklyn. I couldn’t afford their transport as it was too far. There was also no work for me there.
“That place is like a shanty town where all the homeless people get dumped. No one wants to stay there. The city didn’t give us proper homes as promised. We were just given a few poles, zinc sheets and a roll of plastic to make our own hokkies. That life is no different from living under the bridge. It’s actually better here because there’s work to do and we are close to amenities. That is why we won’t move,” he said.
Cecilia Ruiters, who has lived under the M5 Bridge for the past 11 years, said she enjoyed living there because it was “peaceful”.
This mother of three, who is six months pregnant with her fourth child, said she refused to move when other squatters were evicted from the bridge and were relocated to Happy Valley late in 2006.
She lives in a make-shift shack with her common-law husband and her 21-month-old son Lawandre.
“As long as conditions are still poor there, I won’t move. We need proper homes and not shacks that can burn down tomorrow,” she said, while sitting next to her wood fire.
“The municipal staff have come here several times to chuck us out they even issued a court order demanding that we move out, but I’ve resisted that. I refuse to be moved because to me this is like home.
“I’ve had all my three children here and I’m hoping to give birth to my baby here.” - Cape Argus
At least two major bridges are still being used as shelters by homeless people despite the city’s efforts to remove them.
These include the N7 bridge near Acacia Park and the M5 bridge near Maitland.
Both bridges are in need of repair work after they were damaged by shack fires.
In October 2006, the N7 bridge was closed for several days after a shack fire, in which two people died, caused structural damage to the concrete and steel reinforcing.
This prompted the city to move people living under bridges to temporary relocation areas like Happy Valley and a site in Factreton.
Seth Maqethuka, the city’s director for Integrated Human Settlements, said the city was not aware of any bridges that still had squatters living under them.
“We would welcome any information on this,” he said.
He said all the city’s bridges were cleared of squatters and that court orders had also been issued for those who resisted moving.
He said the city had evicted squatters from several bridges including the M5, Eastern Boulevard, Langa, Vanguard Drive and Koeberg interchange.
But when the Cape Argus visited the M5 Bridge near Maitland on Thursday, some of the squatters confirmed that they were still living under the bridge because of poor living conditions in Happy Valley, where the municipality moved them.
They also admitted they were still making fires to keep warm and to cook.
Squatters living near the N7 bridge at Acacia Park say they had been ordered to appear in the Goodwood magistrate’s court on June 21 for illegally occupying the land.
They had moved back to the land just metres from the bridge.
They cite poor living conditions, victimisation and lack of privacy at Factreton as reasons for moving back.
Waleed Sebrane, 31, said he had moved back to the M5 Bridge to be close to his work and his children’s schools.
“My children go to school in Maitland and Brooklyn. I couldn’t afford their transport as it was too far. There was also no work for me there.
“That place is like a shanty town where all the homeless people get dumped. No one wants to stay there. The city didn’t give us proper homes as promised. We were just given a few poles, zinc sheets and a roll of plastic to make our own hokkies. That life is no different from living under the bridge. It’s actually better here because there’s work to do and we are close to amenities. That is why we won’t move,” he said.
Cecilia Ruiters, who has lived under the M5 Bridge for the past 11 years, said she enjoyed living there because it was “peaceful”.
This mother of three, who is six months pregnant with her fourth child, said she refused to move when other squatters were evicted from the bridge and were relocated to Happy Valley late in 2006.
She lives in a make-shift shack with her common-law husband and her 21-month-old son Lawandre.
“As long as conditions are still poor there, I won’t move. We need proper homes and not shacks that can burn down tomorrow,” she said, while sitting next to her wood fire.
“The municipal staff have come here several times to chuck us out they even issued a court order demanding that we move out, but I’ve resisted that. I refuse to be moved because to me this is like home.
“I’ve had all my three children here and I’m hoping to give birth to my baby here.” - Cape Argus
No comments:
Post a Comment