Cape Town – The City of Cape Town has initiated court proceedings to evict at least 360 foreign nationals who have been occupying the Wingfield and Paint City sites in Bellville since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis announced on June 18 that, after successive offers of alternative housing or repatriation, the city has filed joint eviction applications with the Department of Home Affairs and Public Works.
Some occupants accepted relocation, while others insisted on being moved directly to countries like Canada requests the city denies it can fulfil.
“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,” Hill-Lewis said.
Operation New Broom continues to focus on enforcement actions where public spaces have been occupied by illegal immigrants. Through enforcement operations, through the courts, and in collaboration with other agencies, we’re enforcing the rule of law without fear or favour! 🇿🇦 https://t.co/bl1wcNEAeU
— Leon Schreiber (@Leon_Schreib) June 18, 2025
“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.”
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber explained that the city’s decision was prompted by the department’s newly launched Operation New Broom — a technology-driven initiative focused on identifying, arresting, prosecuting, and deporting undocumented foreigners found living in public spaces.
“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,” the minister said.
“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.”
Residents in surrounding areas have long voiced concerns about safety and sanitation, citing dire conditions in the makeshift communities.
As recently as 2023, asylum seekers living at Paint City feared returning to xenophobic environments in townships and preferred tent living over unsafe neighbourhoods.
The UNHCR, which initially managed services like toilets at the sites, eventually withdrew due to legal limits around funding makeshift camps.
“We are ensuring that public assets are used for public good! No one has the right to unlawfully occupy state land and buildings.” Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson said.
We are ensuring that public assets are used for public good! No one has the right to unlawfully occupy state land and buildings. https://t.co/OyPkzUHQjt
— Dean Macpherson MP (@DeanMacpherson) June 18, 2025
City officials hope the imminent eviction will restore public space and permit the use of the land for its intended purpose. They stress that eviction will only follow lawful processes, offering housing or repatriation support.
Those refusing to leave, Hill-Lewis warns, will face enforcement under the law.
This development follows a contentious history dating back to late 2019, when asylum seekers protested at Greenmarket Square demanding relocation abroad.
Evicted from church shelters in April 2020, they were moved to temporary camps under lockdown regulations — sites that now bear the burden of extended occupation.
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
