Thank you Mark, you have a valid point and I think it is something that
needs to be given attention. I do however question the innocence of the
people pictured here. I have, on a regular basis, found Nicole standing
next to the Nedbank ATM at night and as each person draws money, she
would ask them for a donation. She has asked me so many times, and comes
with some fairly 'cute' stories to disguise what it might be used for.
I have seen her and her boyfriend fighting in the street there over a
'client' because he got in the way at the last minute, and last night
saw her posing on the street, seemingly waiting for clients. Unless her
drug problem is dealt with, it's not viable to even try and help her or
others in that situation. They have no legitimate means to an income
and it will result in crime. Is there anything the state can do to
force them into rehabilitation?
I agree though, there are many who have just fallen on hard times and it
would be nice to give them dignity and some hope back. Everyone deserves
that chance. As this is something that bothers me, I will also do some
research into any positive way to make an impact. I started looking
into it when we lived in Woodstock for a while last year and became
aware of just how bad it gets.
Jenny Calder
ONW Secretary
On 2015/04/30 11:10, Marc Turok wrote:
While I cant comment on what has or has not been done and how many
‘innocent’ homeless of poor people get harsh treatment by
‘authorities’ , I would want to see a new approach where homeless who
have no record of crime or antisocial behaviour get short term, dry
and secure local shelter in enclosed lockable areas under bridges and
other temporary unused available space, where they can also get a
basic cup of soup and bread and an item of donated clothing or
blanket, on condition that they get guidance, medical attention and
testing for things like TB or alcoholism, drugs and status of ID, for
a social worker to assist these individuals towards a better station
in life, including some local possible short term local part time
employment possibilities, until ready to move to something better.
Others known to not comply, suspected of criminal activities should
not get these short term care and not be permitted to infiltrate our
area... but these accusations of criminal activities need to be based
on evidence.
Being credited with good behaviour needs to be demonstrated by being
helpful to others in need, not causing disturbance, not littering and
not being involved in other antisocial activities.
One of the biggest injustices is that poor and vulnerable people are
the most abused by both criminals and authorities who are there to
protect us from crime. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE !
We need to find solutions and as winter approaches, we need to share
ideas and hear from those who are experienced and directly involved
what they think can and should be done???
Regards,
Marc
*From:* Trevor Hughes <mailto:t...@thewildfig.co.za>
*Sent:* Wednesday, April 8, 2015 12:11 PM
*To:* obsnw@googlegroups.com <mailto:obsnw@googlegroups.com> ; Brian
Amery Coo <mailto:c...@obsid.org.za>
*Subject:* [obsnw] Fwd: Article in GroundUp on Obs homeless
Subject: Article in GroundUp on Obs homeless
*We’re being targeted, say homeless*
8 April 2015 - Ian Broughton
* From left: Nicole MacHattie, Johannes Ougat, Kevin Adams and Mike
Slate, who has started a committee for the homeless.Slate recently
organised a clean up of the local park. Picture: Ian Broughton
*From left: Nicole MacHattie, Johannes Ougat, Kevin Adams
and Mike Slate, who has started a committee for the
homeless.Slate recently organised a clean up of the local
park. Picture: Ian Broughton*
Featured Story Homeless people in Observatory, Woodstock and Bellville
have complained about a wave of law enforcement operations against
them in the last two months. Several people have complained to the
Legal Resources Centre in Cape Town of assault.
The City of Cape Town has denied that street people are being targeted
by city officials. The City took allegations of street people being
threatened very seriously, said Mayoral Committee member Suzette Little.
The LRC’s Anthea Billy said street people’s rights were being
seriously violated. “There seems to be a general onslaught on people
on the streets and they are using city by-laws to do it,” she said.
She said she had taken statements from five people. The LRC was
working with SPEAR, an ad hoc committee set up by street people to
give them a voice.
SPEAR founder Mike Slate was one of those who found himself at the
receiving end of an operation. On 11 February, he says, he and his
girlfriend were sleeping under a bridge in Observatory when they were
woken by a group consisting of Law Enforcement and security guards
from Observatory CID (OBSCID) and Groote Schuur CID (GSCID).
Slate says he and his girlfriend had been sleeping there for two weeks
and had even been woken up several times by OBSCID guards who had not
told them to move.
But on February 11 he says they were told they were only allowed to
have one blanket. Other items were confiscated, including a duvet,
blanket, mattress, clothing, prescription spectacles and contact
lenses, an antique mirror, scientific calculator and a grinder which
he had fixed for someone.
Slate says that when he protested, the security guards became
aggressive and one threatened him with violence.
While some of the guards were busy with him, says Slate, others took
his girlfriend aside and forced her to sign a document banning them
from the area.
He was also accused of “pimping out his girlfriend.”
When he went to Woodstock SAPS to lay a charge of theft he says police
refused to open a case.
Western Cape police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut said he
should report this to the management of the station. "Every person has
the right to a policing service, and the homeless man you are
referring to is by no means excluded. He is encouraged to report the
refusal of a service to the management of Woodstock police station so
that the matter can be investigated,” said Traut.
Slate claims that it is mostly drug users who are being targeted.
Another homeless person in Observatory, who asked that his name not be
used as he fears he will be targeted and harassed even more, says he
was accosted by members of OBSCID and members of the SAPS on 10
February at the spot where he was sleeping next to the railway line.
His possessions, including a black bag full of clothing, were taken
from him and he was escorted away to a place near the River Club.
He says that when he insisted on his stuff being returned he was told:
"Moenie kak praat nie, ons is moeg van julle nuwe inwoners.”
“I spent the rest of the night in an upright position, chilled to the
bone and with no clean clothing.”
In Bellville, homeless people who sleep in the parking lot opposite
Shoprite say their possessions have repeatedly been confiscated.
One man says he was awakened by Voortrekker Road CID (VRCID) guards
who told him to move from where he was sleeping behind an electricity
box close to Oakdale.
He claims he was disoriented by bright lights being shone in his face
and then an unmarked bakkie appeared and the driver told him: “We
don’t want you people here.”
As he got up to move away, he realised that his bags with all his
possessions were missing. When he asked where he could collect his
stuff he was told that it was being sent “for destruction.”
Early in the morning of 27 March I saw a convoy of vehicles, one with
a trailer, go through Observatory. Several street people were ordered
to move from their sleeping place on Roman Road. A few minutes later
security guards and a policeman searched the bag of a man on the Main
Road.
The man, who did not want to be named, claims he was falsely accused
of being involved in something illegal, but when he asked the police
officer and City Improvement District members what he had done wrong
they could not give him an answer.
He says he was told “not to be clever” and that the policeman, whose
name is known to GroundUp, threatened to lock him up if he was seen on
the streets again.
The man was ordered to stand to be photographed and his fingerprints
were taken on a portable fingerprint scanner. He was then told to
leave the area.
The City’s Little said these operations had not been sanctioned by the
City and no particular group of people was being targeted.
“No personal belongings of homeless people are confiscated. Only
structures are removed and general mess like plastic, cardboard etc.
If items are left unattended in public places, then these items are
treated as abandoned goods and then bagged and taken to our holding
facility at Ndabeni where they can be collected by the owners.”
“The City takes very seriously allegations regarding street people
being threatened or sworn at. Anyone with information in this regard
is encouraged to report it to the City for investigation.
“Both the City’s Social Development Department and staff from the
Safety and Security Directorate are expected to treat street people
with respect at all times and to uphold their dignity,” she said.
The CEO of Groote Schuur CID, Anthony Davies, confirmed that joint
operations had been conducted with City Law Enforcement and SAPS but
would not comment further.
Chief Operations Officer of OBSCID Brian Amery said security guards
accompanied Law Enforcement and SAPS “to point out areas where there
are by-law infringements, such as sleeping in the streets and in
public open spaces”.
He said OBSCID staff and the guards had no right to act against
homeless people “and they are specifically instructed to do nothing
illegal in this regard”.
But, he said, “We also acknowledge however that many of the homeless
people in Observatory are long term addicts, with no wish to be
helped. Observatory is a dense, dynamic, urban area, with a wide range
of urban management challenges and a large homeless population.
“We will never condone human rights abuses, but we will continue to
tackle behavior that is illegal and antisocial, in our efforts to make
Observatory a safe, livable community in which a wide diversity of
people can feel safe and at home.”
The Chief Operations Officer of Voortrekker Road CID, Derek Bock, said
street people’s claims that they had been harassed, threatened, sworn
at or ordered to leave the area were only allegations.
He said only City Law Enforcement was allowed to confiscate clothing
and blankets but the CID guards removed stuff such as cardboard boxes
and crates.
The chairman of the Street People’s Forum, Greg Andrews, said the
City’s policies on the homeless were “archaic” and that street people
had become “a political football”.
“Each person you meet on the street has a unique set of challenges.
And they combine in startlingly varied and complex ways to make any
one-size-fits all solution completely off-target.
“The solution is not to get them off the street, but to help them
figure out how they are going to get themselves off the street."
/Ian Broughton is a freelance writer who is also involved with a local
NGO that provides health services to street people: SPEAR (Street
People's Platform to Enable Advocacy and Representation)./
- See more at:
http://groundup.org.za/article/we%E2%80%99re-being-targeted-say-homeless_2814#sthash.54OPnK0T.dpuf
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