Strandfontein residents have taken legal action against the City of Cape Town for moving hundreds of homeless people to the Strandfontein Sports Complex during the lockdown.
In its urgent High Court application, the Strandfontein Social and Economic Development Forum and the Ratepayers’ Association want the Covid-19 camp shut down, saying it poses a health risk.
This is supported by findings by the SA Human Rights Commission, who this week also recommended that the site be closed down.
The City moved about 1500 homeless people to the site along Spine Road to comply with national Disaster Management Act regulations.
But the two organisations say the City’s move was unlawful and residents were not consulted.
The association’s Mandy van Willingh said to eNCA says: “We are going to court because there is a genuine threat to our health and the health of the community.
“We have a lot of old people living in our area, especially in the area of the sports field,”
The City had until yesterday to file answering papers and the matter is expected to be heard on Thursday.
HRC commissioner Chris Nissen said they had received an independently produced report by NGOs they were working with, reports the Cape Argus.
“The assessment of the site and the report recommended that the site be decommissioned.
“We’re gathering all the information of the report and will be meeting with the City.”
Among the recommendations are safety and security measures be implemented, especially for women and transgenders.
This after a 36-year-old man was arrested in connection with the rape of an 18-year-old girl.
According to the Cape Argus, Mayor Dan Plato has dismissed the SAHRC report and said the site would remain open.
Plato was briefed by the Department of Defence following an oversight visit on 18 April.
“The feedback from the department was extremely positive and now we have people trying to discredit us,” Plato said.