On Tuesday, 10 May, the City’s law enforcement officers went into the area. There they handed out notices with various offences to over 20 people. Some received fines of around R1 000, which they deemed ridiculous.
A man by the name of Magaya Ulaya received a fine for ‘staying overnight where no accommodation has been reserved’. Ulaya told IOL that the City aimed to victimise vulnerable people who have no alternative.
Ulaya said that law enforcement officials have been making their way into the area more often. He explained that people have received numerous fines that they cannot pay.
“They have been coming here more often after we occupied the space and we have received several fines which we obviously cannot pay. We struggle to get a meal worth R10 but somehow the City sees it fit to fine us with these ridiculous amounts,”
said Ulaya.
He further stated that the City sending officers there is a waste of resources. Ulayay explained that the people residing outside the Castle of Good Hope don’t attend court or pay any fines. He added that the receipts of the fines are destroyed once the officers leave.
City reveals details behind the operation
If they can, people tend to escape when they see law enforcement approaching them. Law Enforcement Spokesperson for the City Wayne Dyason confirmed that an operation was held in the area.
Dyason says that the Law Enforcement Department’s Displaced Person Unit held the operation to limit the amount of litter that is left in areas where homeless people stay.
He explained that the area was a hotspot and that a total of 21 notices were issued for by-law offences. Some of the notices include littering and dumping.
Dyason said the area in Castle Street was one of the hot spots visited and a total of 21 notices were issued for by-law offences, including littering and dumping.