CITY OF CAPE TOWN
28 MARCH 2020
STATEMENT BY MAYORAL COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES AND HEALTH, COUNCILLOR ZAHID BADROODIEN
The City of Cape Town will this weekend start moving street people to the first of several temporary shelter sites that have been identified, in accordance with the national lockdown that came into effect at midnight.
The parking lot adjacent to the City’s Culemborg Safe Space will be the first site to be utilised. A tent will be erected, along with sanitation facilities, as well as the implementation of appropriate social distancing measures.
The City’s Law Enforcement Department will escort persons to the site. City Health will also be onsite to screen individuals and ensure that they are not presenting symptoms of COVID-19.
Work is also underway at the Paint City site in Bellville and it should be able to go online within the next three to five days.
The City is undertaking to make available sites in all four geographical areas within the next week, where street people can be housed during the lockdown.
The search for temporary shelter is taking some time, after initial sites, touted by the national government, were subsequently withdrawn.
We understand that there has been immense interest in this particular issue, and we assure the public that we are doing everything possible to provide safe spaces for our street people during this challenging time.
Numerous other options are being considered, but have not been finalised, as the spaces are not readily available for habitation without extensive work being carried out first.
The City will provide updates on the situation as these become available, but we would like to emphasize that it is a matter we take very seriously and we are working furiously to bring to resolution.
End
Note to broadcasters: an audio clip is available for download: https://soundcloud.com/ct-media/27032020-badroodien-temp-shelters
Issued by: Media Office, City of Cape Town