Macpherson, Hill-Lewis welcome eviction order of illegal occupants at Castle of Good Hope

Castle of Good Hope

Cape Town — Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean MacPherson, welcomed a court order which stipulates all occupants at the Castle of Good Hope need to vacate the property by 17 October.

The eviction was granted to the Department by the Western Cape High Court which said all current occupants at the Castle need to be evicted by the proposed date, otherwise, an eviction may occur as needed to get rid of any unlawful occupants, SA Gov News reported.

The City of Cape Town has an offer to allow unlawful occupants to take up spaces in transitional shelters at the city’s Safe Space facility, which offers beds, ablutions, means and medical care, Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) opportunities and much more, to keep people off the streets.

Macpherson said the eviction was an opportunity to boost Cape Town’s economy ahead of the busy summer tourism period and reinforced that the state should look after its assets to 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 said the Castle was an important part of South Africa’s history and should maintained to ensure more people can enjoy it in the future. The Castel of Good Hope is an important tourism attraction and plays an important role in the economy, which helps to create jobs.

Taking to X, Cape Town mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, welcomed the “good news moment” for the City of Cape Town following the eviction order.

“This site has long been a source of public concern and complaint, as well as a source of frequent incidents of crime and general grime. The city has been pushing for more than two years for the owner of the site, the Department of Public Works (SA National Defence Force) to take responsibility for it. We are grateful to the new minister for showing leadership and getting his department to act,’’ said Hill-Lewis.

He added that the occupation began during lockdown and the city has been looking for a solution. Not just for tourism and economic importance, but for the sake of the unlawful occupants.

“Accepting help to get off the streets is the best choice for dignity, health and well-being. No person has a right to reserve a public space as exclusively theirs, while indefinitely refusing all offers of help,” he added.

Meanwhile, Macpherson joined Hill-Lewis in Cape Town as the two toured neglected state-owned buildings in the city, including the Grand Parade and Hout Bay Harbour.
Macpherson was committed to reaching an agreement with the City of Cape Town to addressed the hijacked buildings and contribute to economic growth and further job creation.


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Compiled by Matthew Petersen

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