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Hundreds of homeless people in Cape Town have arrived at an intensively managed new facility – their new home during the Covid-19 lockdown.
The facility, in Strandfontein, near the False Bay coastline on the Cape Flats, is equipped with a comprehensive range of services – all housed in a village of weatherproof marquees.
City of Cape Town mayco member for community services and health, Zahid Badroodien, told News24 a fleet of 23 buses had been dispatched on Sunday to comb the metropolitan area, pick up homeless people, and transport them to the new emergency centre.
By Sunday night, they had delivered around 590 people to their new temporary home.
The buses were out again on Monday morning, Badroodien reported.
He said the Strandfontein Sports Complex had been chosen due to its access to water and electricity, and its ease-of-access, being located next to the highway.
The full Strandfontein Sports Complex measured 240 000 square metres, and six large marquees had been erected over the weekend.
Under normal circumstances, each was able to accommodate around 600 people. But due to physical distancing requirements, each would only accommodate 300-360 people.
The site included showers, toilets, a mobile shop, an "isolation tent" and a range of medical services.
The site was strictly monitored by municipal law enforcement officers, metro police and private security.
Hundreds of homeless people arrive at an intensively managed new facility in Cape Town – their new home during the Covid-19 lockdown. (All Pictures: Office of Councillor Zahid Badroodien)
