More than 60 families in Reality Village in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain, who live on property partially earmarked for a cemetery, do not want to move and want basic services and adequate housing instead.
But according to City of Cape Town spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo, the City was running out of burial space.
“There are 40 cemeteries and the majority of the City cemeteries are technically without vacant burial space. However, many ‘private’ graves have the opportunity to be used for a second interment, on top of the previous burial,” he said.
However, the City has made it clear that it is not its intention to evict the 64 families occupying the grounds.
“The court has granted the City an interim interdict to prevent further unlawful occupation of the erf which is earmarked for a cemetery in Mitchells Plain. It must be noted the application is not to evict persons currently unlawfully occupying a portion of the erf.”
The case is at the Cape Town High Court and will be heard on May 30.
According to court papers, the occupants, who are supported by Ashraf Cassiem of the Anti-Eviction Campaign and the Mitchells Plain Aboriginal Khoisan Council, have until then to respond.
The community has no access to basic services and buys water from neighbours.
Cassiem said the occupants had not been not informed of any of the City’s plans.
“As we understand, approval was given in 2017 already for these plans but then it was Covid-19,” said Cassiem.
“They are stating that they do not want to evict the people but our question is what will happen to these people? Are they going to build them homes? What is the exact area they are allocating for the cemetery?”
David Carolissen, 55, and Waseela May, 46, who are disabled and have two young children said they have made Reality Village their home after becoming unemployed during Covid-19.