Volunteers at Fish Hoek Valley Museum say they feel unsafe every time they show up for work as street people living there have made it “impossible”.
A volunteer at Fish Hoek Valley Museum, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, says it has become the norm to have four to five street people sleeping on the premises.
“Sometimes when we come in, in the morning there are five of them sleeping in the front. (There are) urine and evidence of smoking – I don’t know if they smoke tik – and, obviously, syringes.
“It just goes on and on. Law Enforcement, the police, and the neighbourhood watch move them away but then they just come back again.”
While the outside tap was removed, no break-ins have been reported.
“The water tap outside has been taken away completely, there is only water in the house. They cut up the telephone line to tie up a hammock in the back garden.”
The 75-year-old says volunteers feel very unsafe.
“We are all old, some a helluva lot older than me and some are well into their 80s. So, no, you don’t feel safe and depending on how high or low they (the street people) are and whether they are aggressive or decent.”
She says they are mostly men and a few women who are sleeping in the back garden.
The volunteer claims that one of the more unpleasant experiences was when one particular street person became aggressive and used vulgar language.
“It is unbelievable the way he can shout at you; he approaches you for money or it’s a case of he will clean up the front, which is their own rubbish anyway, but he expects to be paid for it. But aside from that, he just hits on people for money and if they don’t give, he can get very nasty and aggressive and abusive.”
On Thursday 26 May, Law Enforcement, patrolling past the museum, stopped to check that the area was clear and safe.
Another volunteer says, the back is actually more of a problem than the front.
“Because the backyard is private and no-one can see. They just kick down the raised wire barbs so that they can climb over into the clinic’s side next door.
“Sometimes when we come here there are about five of them still asleep in sleeping bags.”
She says there are never more than four people found sleeping in the back premises at a time.
“I don’t talk to them, I am past talking to them.
“There was an incident where a vagrant spat at a volunteer through a window. They spat against the glass window. So if they are sleeping, we just walk past them and at lunch time they are still sleeping.”
The volunteers hope that a more long-term solution can be found.
City of Cape Town spokesperson Janine Willemans says, due to the two-year National State of Disaster, many people have ended up homeless.
She adds that the City’s Social Development and ECD staff are busy with a city-wide process of conducting social assessments of those living on the streets.
“This includes the reasons for homelessness, physical and mental health, living conditions, sources of income. This will result in a referral for social assistance.”
