
Foreign nationals at Bellville, Wingfield tent sites have refused all offers of help - Hill-Lewis
CAPE TOWN - Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said that the foreign nationals remaining at two tent sites in the metro had refused all offers of help.
The City of Cape Town, the public works and home affairs departments are seeking an eviction order to remove those still living at Paint City in Bellville and the Wingfield site, opposite the Maitland Cemetery.
Around 360 foreign nationals are still occupying the two sites.
They were moved to the sites five years ago after occupying a church in Green Market Square.
Speaking to John Maytham on the Afternoon Drive Show, Hill-Lewis said that the joint application was about restoring dignity to those living under unsustainable conditions.
"We haven't applied for urgency, and if it is unopposed, which I sincerely hope it is, then it shouldn't be too long. I think it would be a matter of a few months and we'd get on the unopposed role. If it's opposed, obviously a very different story."
He said that hundreds had accepted offers to move from the temporary sites over the past few years.
"So, I really think the very best thing for these people now is to either go back to their country of origin or the court to instruct them to go on their way and to integrate into South Africa."

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Eyewitness News
15 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
Foreign nationals at Bellville, Wingfield tent sites have refused all offers of help - Hill-Lewis
CAPE TOWN - Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said that the foreign nationals remaining at two tent sites in the metro had refused all offers of help. The City of Cape Town, the public works and home affairs departments are seeking an eviction order to remove those still living at Paint City in Bellville and the Wingfield site, opposite the Maitland Cemetery. Around 360 foreign nationals are still occupying the two sites. They were moved to the sites five years ago after occupying a church in Green Market Square. Speaking to John Maytham on the Afternoon Drive Show, Hill-Lewis said that the joint application was about restoring dignity to those living under unsustainable conditions. "We haven't applied for urgency, and if it is unopposed, which I sincerely hope it is, then it shouldn't be too long. I think it would be a matter of a few months and we'd get on the unopposed role. If it's opposed, obviously a very different story." He said that hundreds had accepted offers to move from the temporary sites over the past few years. "So, I really think the very best thing for these people now is to either go back to their country of origin or the court to instruct them to go on their way and to integrate into South Africa."


The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Cape Town files eviction papers for foreigners ‘demanding' relocation to Canada
The city filed eviction papers on Wednesday The City of Cape Town has approached the courts in an attempt to evict the remaining foreigners who have been illegally occupying the Wingfield tent and Paint City in Bellville. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis announced on Wednesday that the city had filed papers to evict the remaining 360 foreigners who had been illegally occupying the areas since the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020. He said they had been offered alternative living arrangements, and while some accepted the offers, others refused, demanding that they be relocated to Canada. ALSO READ: South Africa must charge countries for deportations of illegal foreigners, says ATM The city filed eviction papers on Wednesday 'Residents of Kensington will know exactly where we are because you will see right behind us, the infamous Wingfield tent, which has been here since Covid,' said Hill-Lewis. 'We have now gone through the process of carefully drafting these evicting papers, and they are being filed in court today. This means we can finally start the process at this Wingfield tent and Paint City in Bellville.' Operation New Broom targets foreigners Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the city's move was a result of the department's newly launched Operation New Broom, the latest technology-driven initiative aimed at arresting, convicting, and deporting undocumented foreigners occupying public spaces. ALSO READ: SA taxi driver nabbed attempting to smuggle 25 illegal foreigners, gets R375k fine 'There were numerous offers made in cooperation with international agencies to relocate many of the people in these areas. Many of them took up the offers, but some have refused, and today we're saying, enough is enough,' said Schreiber. 'The Department of Home Affairs recently launched Operation New Broom to signal our commitment to enforcing the rule of law when it comes to illegal immigrants occupying public spaces.' On the District Six open land, Hill-Lewis said: 'This land is owned by the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development, and is supposed to be used for the grievously slow-moving District Six restitution. I write to that Department frequently to warn them of the growing number of unlawful structures on their land.' 🚨🇿🇦 With the help of the Ministers @Leon_Schreib and @DeanMacpherson, we can now finally launch a joint eviction application for the foreign nationals living unlawfully at Wingfield and at Paint City, Bellville. Despite years of support, including reintegration and… — Geordin Hill-Lewis (@geordinhl) June 18, 2025 Last month, 25 suspects were arrested while occupying the land. Schreiber said at the time: 'As with everything else we do, Operation New Broom is guided by our commitment to the rule of law. It is this commitment that both motivates us to do more to combat illegality, and to uphold due process and legal compliance in the process.' READ NEXT: Tip-off leads police to at least 90 illegal foreigners in abandoned Houghton property

TimesLIVE
10-06-2025
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Cape Town mayor takes Ramaphosa and government to ConCourt
City of Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill Lewis has approached the Constitutional Court challenging government and President Cyril Ramaphosa over the Public Procurement Act which he claims will slow down service delivery and undermine the constitutional autonomy of local government. Hill-Lewis said the challenge in the apex court points out problems which render parliament's adoption of the bill unlawful. The bill was enacted in July 2024 with the Presidency announcing it complies with the stipulation in the constitution that 'contracting of goods and services by organs of state in all spheres of government must occur in accordance with a system which is fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective'. The Presidency at the time said national legislation must prescribe a framework within which a procurement policy must be implemented. The bill was intended to address weaknesses in the procurement of goods and services by organs of state that have in the past enabled corruption, including state capture. Previously, the legislation regulating procurement was said to be fragmented and constraining. Hill-Lewis pointed out that seven of nine provinces did not have lawful final mandates to vote on the bill in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). He added there were inadequate public participation timeframes and notice periods by provinces and the NCOP. There was also incorrect information in reports considered by the NCOP and National Assembly and the Assembly failed to consult on changes to chapter 4, did not consider all public comments and failed to comply with the rules for introducing a bill. 'We believe this [act] should be invalidated due to fatal shortcomings in public participation and parliament's procedures. Beyond these issues, it is vital that any new consideration of the [act] takes into account the huge red tape burden it will place on local government and the unconstitutional interference it permits in municipalities. 'At a local level, we often have to procure fast to respond to urgent water, sanitation, electrical, waste and environmental issues. This [act] impedes the ability to respond swiftly to local needs by introducing more red tape to complicate procurements. This inefficiency will have a direct effect on service delivery to residents.'