The court-ordered Bantry Bay caves eviction cleared 23 people from the Atlantic Seaboard shoreline this week, the ward councillor said, after what officials described as a lengthy process of engagement and repeated offers of support, Cape {town} Etc.
Ward 54 councillor Nicola Jowell said the Sheriff of the Court oversaw an operation involving close to 100 personnel from several City departments and partner organisations, and that some occupants accepted help to access the city’s safe-space.
The city plans a deep clean of the site. Jowell added: ‘Today, the eviction at the Bantry Bay Caves was carried out following a lengthy and complex process of engagement, repeated offers of assistance and ultimately a formal legal process resulting in a lawful eviction order.’
The action provoked a strong response online. Some residents praised enforcement and urged authorities to prevent returns, while critics and activists said the scale of the operation felt intimidating for vulnerable people and questioned long-term shelter solutions.
‘For 23 people the City came with an army of 100 people,’ an activist told local community groups.
Be the first to know – Join our WhatsApp Channel for content worth tapping into! Click here to join!
Also read:
Picture: Nicola Jowell – Ward 54 / Facebook
