Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, Dean Macpherson, has welcomed a court order which stipulates that those occupying the Castle of Good Hope have to vacate the property by 17 October.
The eviction order was granted to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) by the Western Cape High Court.
The order stipulates that those occupying the Castle of Good Hope have to vacate the property by 17 October 2024, following which an eviction may occur as needed for any remaining unlawful occupants.
The City of Cape Town has a standing offer to unlawful occupants to take up dignified transitional shelter at the city-run Safe Space facilities.
Safe Spaces offer warm beds, ablution facilities, meals, access to medical care, substance abuse treatment, Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) work, personal development planning and more, to help people leave the streets.
“The eviction order serves as a boost for Cape Town’s economy ahead of the busy summer tourism season in the city and reinforces our position that state assets should be looked after and be used for public good.
“We simply cannot allow state assets to be occupied and vandalised, such as the Castle of Good Hope during the COVID-19 pandemic. The occupation and decay of state buildings nationwide create issues for the municipalities by attracting crime and grime which we have also seen at the Castle of Good Hope,” Minister Macpherson said.
He added that the castle is an important part of South Africa’s history, and it is therefore important that it be safeguarded and maintained to ensure that future generations can learn from the past to build a better future.
He added that the castle is also an important tourism attraction in the City of Cape Town and thereby plays an important role in the local economy which helps to create jobs which are sorely needed.
Meanwhile, the Minister will be joining City of Cape Town Executive Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis on Friday afternoon, to tour the Grand Parade next to the Castle of Good Hope, as well as the Hout Bay Harbour.
The Minister will also address the media on efforts by the DPWI to address hijacked and decayed State-owned properties in the city.
The Minister said he is committed to working with all municipalities to turn South Africa into a construction site and use public assets for public good.
“Similarly to the Memorandum of Understanding that I will soon be signing with the Mayor of eThekwini, I look forward to concluding an agreement with the City Of Cape Town, to work closer together with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to address hijacked and decaying state-owned buildings, but also to contribute to economic growth and job creation. Let’s Build South Africa,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
