13 December 2019
JOHANNESBURG – The City of Cape Town has been ordered to halt all prosecutions of homeless people who allegedly break by-laws.
The Western Cape High Court also ordered the city to review its municipal legislation related to vagrancy and nuisances.
Seven homeless people asked the court for an interdict to stop the city from issuing fines and confiscating their belongings.
In the first five months of this year, nearly 200 homeless people were fined.
Their fines ran into the hundred, something they obviously can’t afford.
“The clothes that I used to have unfortunately from staying on the streets got taken away from me. We get waken up at three o’clock in the morning from sleeping in the garden. We get kicked, up they take all our belongings,” said Shaun Strydom, who’s homeless.
The city now has until February to relook its by-laws.
“The City may not issue summons to the seven applicants. I think the judge was very mindful to come out with a very just judgment, justice was at the forefront of his mind,” said lawyer, Lucien Lewin.
Source: African Live