City fully focused on completing refugee and homeless operations
6 April 2020
It is with much disappointment that I note the joint statement issued by the National Minister of Public Works, Patricia de Lille, and National Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi regarding the relocation of the refugees and homeless in Cape Town.
In this time of crisis, we all need to work together to stop the spread of the Coronavirus.
The number one priority for all spheres of government must be to complete the relocation operations as soon as possible. City teams are working around the clock on our responsibilities in this regard.
For the record, I attach to this press release the letters that I have sent regarding the relocation of the refugees.
I have full faith in the city’s officials, senior management and the Mayoral Committee, who are working non-stop during this pandemic to ensure service delivery continues for the people of Cape Town. I will continue to work closely with the national and provincial government to ensure that we collaborate wherever possible to maximise the services we are delivering.
With regards to the accusations that have been made, let me say the following:
- We need to work together during this critical period and refrain from calling each other names.
- Despite claims to the contrary, at no point has anyone condemned the South African Police Service (SAPS) or any national minister, we have always engaged with the utmost respect and will continue to do so.
- We have observed and carried out our services 100% in line with the COVID-19 regulations, and regularly monitor the changes provided by the National Government and update our approach accordingly.
- All of the City’s actions to assist and relocate the refugees in the Cape Town CBD have been based on a meeting called by Minister Motsoaledi, and this meeting was minuted. The agreement was that National Government would make available the Wingfield site, and the City would provide services. We received a letter a week later confirming that Wingfield would be available.
- The Wingfield site will be ready by the end of today to honour the original agreement with Minister Motsoaledi, and we will relocate the remaining refugees on Albertus Street, in the Cape Town CBD.
- The fact remains that the South African Police Service (SAPS), through an instruction from National Government removed the refugees from the church at Green Market Square and placed them at the Paint City site in Bellville, before it was ready, and which was always intended to accommodate the homeless as part of our temporary emergency accommodation measures.
- We did not at any time condemn SAPS for this action, but pointed out that we were not in agreement with their plan to relocate the refugees to Paint City.
I 100% stand by what I have already said on the matter and will not be engaging on the matter any further.
My door remains open, and I hope that this totally unnecessary squabble will be set aside so that we can get on with trying to limit the spread of the Coronavirus and providing essential services for our residents.
I have and will continue to chair the almost daily Coronavirus meetings with the City’s top management and Mayoral Committee. We are all on the same page and know what is required to deliver the best services possible to the people of Cape Town during this crisis.
Issued by Greg Wagner, Spokesperson to the Executive Mayor, 6 April 2020
