Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
‘We’re willing to move, say Sea Point tennis court occupants
HOMELESS people who live at the Sea Point tennis court said they were willing to move, provided they were given an alternative site with running water and proper ablution facilities.
This comes after the City of Cape Town filed a fresh eviction application late last month.
Ndyebo Mgijima, who has lived at the tennis court for six years, said he would pack up his bags and leave any time if only he could be offered another place, as he has nowhere to go.
He said he understood why they want to evict them because the place has over the years been subjected to many challenges, such as drug addicts and criminals who have also invaded the site.
“Some of us here make an honest living and are educated, or at least we have passed Grade 12, but life has not been good to some, or maybe we are not lucky enough to have supportive families, hence we find ourselves in this situation. The claims that all of us are vandalising and causing havoc in the place are partly true, as not all of us are involved in such activities. We do want to make this place a clean and safe place, not only for us but for the people that live around us,” said Mgijima.
Mgijima said: “If the city cannot provide for us an alternative place, we then beg with them to assist us in making sure that this place remains safe and clean and will be willing to collaborate. We need proper fencing and security that will be on guard day and night to ensure law and order. Also, maybe some of us can be employed as cleaners and recyclers to ensure that the place is kept neat at all times,” he said.
The City of Cape Town said on September 22 that the City and Empext, the lessee of a certain portion of the property, issued an eviction application regarding the unlawful occupation at the tennis courts.
It said the City and Empext have, in addition, asked that the respondents be interdicted from reoccupying this property and others under the City's purview.
It added that the property is not suitable for habitation and that continued unlawful occupation posed serious health risks to both the occupants and the broader public, while also impacting public use of these facilities.”
Attempts were made to get comment from the Three Anchor Bay Tennis Club. However, the request was referred to the lessee of the land, who did not respond.