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An intervention is needed as street people are setting up tents along the railway line in Fish Hoek.
This according to Ward 64 councillor Aimee Kuhl who conducted a site visit to the area last week.
Authorities were alerted to the issue when residents posted pictures and videos of the homeless living in tents along the railway line between the South Shore Beach apartments and Fish Hoek beach cottages.
In a social-media post, Shaun Luyt posted pictures of people living in tents next to the railway line.
He wrote that “a new tent city” was expanding in Fish Hoek that had allegedly grown from one to eight tents in a very short time.
Meanwhile, another resident commented that a “tent city” was starting up in Glencairn, but nothing had been done.
Luyt, who has lived at South Shore for five years, tells People’s Post that the issue initially started in March.
“Recently it ballooned and got up to eight tents. When I made the social media post, I just had enough.
“I can see the tents directly from my balcony and that particular morning there was a woman who just pulled down her pants and used the space for her ablution.
"There are children living in this building and that is not the sight you want to see. They also had a karaoke machine, they were making a noise and of course making fires to cook.”
After contacting Law Enforcement and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) Luyt says he gave up.
“I gave up the fight and thought let me post it on social media so that residents of Fish Hoek could be aware.”
Since the social media post, Luyt says tents have disappeared, but street people come and go at the site.
“The bush behind the railway line seems to attract people to the space, so it needs to be removed because this is an ongoing problem.”
Kuhl tells People’s Post the land along the railway line belongs to Prasa.
“I did a social-media post explaining the area of jurisdiction. Unfortunately, bin pickers and (street people) are aware of the status quo.
“I have communicated to Prasa that we need an intervention.”
In the social-media post, Kuhl refers to, she explained why the City of Cape Town and Law Enforcement is not clearing Prasa land.
“I just want to give some feedback, there has been comments on social media on why the City of Cape Town and Law Enforcement is not clearing Prasa land.
“Unfortunately, Prasa has to come to the book and actually do that.”
After visiting a similar site in Fish Hoek last week, she says the homeless were removed.
“The site we looked at, there is nobody currently living there, obviously the people were removed but I am going to engage Prasa to also remove the waste that is along this strip and I will give feedback once we managed to do so.”
She further added that any siting of tents popping up should immediately be reported to Prasa or the City.
At the time of going to print, Prasa had not responded to People’s Post questions.
