Homeless turn down shelters after their shacks are removed
The homeless turn down shelters offered to them after their shacks are removed from Randburg Sports Complex and Bordeaux North Park.
Dwellings illegally constructed by homeless people at Randburg Sports Complex and at Bordeaux North Park, were dismantled by city officials during a joint operation on September 19.
This followed a similar, larger joint operation by the same departments earlier in the day in Blairgowrie Park. The earlier clean-up was on a larger scale, and saw several dwellings and informal businesses dismantled and the belongings of the homeless not quickly removed by them, confiscated. These displaced people were given the choice of accepting shelter organised by the Department of Social Development or remaining where they were, albeit without some of their possessions.
At all three venues, not one homeless person accepted the shelter offered.
Three shacks found at the back of the Randburg Sports Complex were removed, while the belongings of two homeless people were removed from Bordeaux North Park.
The operation included officials and workers from JMPD, Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo, Citizen Relationship and Urban Management, the Department of Social Development and Pikitup.
Ward 102 urban inspector Nalini Ramsoonder spearheaded this on the request of Ward 102 councillor Lucinda Harman, who had received complaints from residents about noise, pollution, drinking, and fighting in public places.
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