Cape Town - It will be all hands on deck as plans to rejuvenate the Castle of Good Hope get under way after the removal of illegal occupants living in its precinct.
The area has become an eye-sore in recent months, with piles of litter strewn across the Castle walls and the waterway along the perimeter.
The Western Cape High Court has ordered the eviction of the homeless people from the Castle of Good Hope, with the Sheriff of the court expected to effect the eviction in due course.
The Castle management said the clean-up was necessary for both the preservation of the historical site and the dignity of its former occupants.
Castle of Good Hope CEO, Calvyn Gilfellan, said once the eviction process is successful, staff and the City’s Solid Waste Unit will be roped in to clean the site.
“I think we will start with the City with the initial clean-up and the City will do the fencing around the area, those are the next steps, but it all depends on when and how the Sheriff is going to handle the eviction,” he said.
Gilfellan said the exact cost to undertake the clean-up remains uncertain. “I have no idea how much it will cost. We also have volunteers who help out. We can also hire temporary staff just for the initial cleaning. Then the six Castle staffers can take over.”
The City said the unlawful occupation of the Castle is impacting its status as a top tourist destination, as well as public safety in the vicinity.
“The City of Cape Town has various cleansing programmes that operate throughout the city, including around CBDs.
“The public are reminded they can play their part too by helping to keep our city clean,” the City said.
Sebastian Van Niel, owner of Baie Lekker Touring, took to social media to share his “disgust” into the state of the once picturesque Castle of Good Hope.
Van Niel said the landmark has been turned into a rubbish dump.
“Part of my tours I do includes the Castle, the Castle is a magnificent place because it has a lot of history and heritage.
“It is quite disturbing most times when I have to walk clients past the Castle, and you have these homeless people harassing tourists.”
According to Van Niel, many tour guides have been trying to avoid the Castle due to the litter and increased level of crime.
“That area is a hotspot and sometimes you cannot blame people, but we can blame people if there are options to better ourselves,” he said.
Indigenous activist and Human Rights defender, Tauriq Jenkins, said the country has a collective responsibility to preserve heritage, including the heritage of disposed communities.
Jenkins said the process should be done in a way that doesn’t violate human rights.
“People have been living outside the walls of the Castle for a long time and should be treated kindly.
“It would be a completely different story if they were inside.
“If there is an issue of housing and an issue of destitute people outside facing homelessness, nothing will take away from any heritage component should people be dealt with humanely,” he said.
Carlos Mesquita, a homeless activist and former resident near the Castle walls, said he isn't surprised by the reluctance of those at the Castle to engage with the City's offers of alternative accommodation.
“No surprises here, I am afraid. And this intervention will once again not remove a single person off the streets,” he said.
Jenkins said among the heritage emanated from the precinct is that of violence, militarisation and colonial rule and liberation and resistance.
“It has also an opportunity and responsibility for restitution and healing.”
byron.lukas@inl.co.za