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4 months ago
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The City of Cape Town Human Settlements MMC, Carl Pophaim, joined law enforcement agencies to launch a new campaign called 'See Something? Say Something'. (Facebook: CllCarlPophaimDA)
- The City of Cape Town is cracking down on criminals who abuse public housing rentals.
- A new campaign - "See Something? Say Something" - aims to enhance public housing safety.
- The City manages more than 45 000 rental flats, housing about 160 000 tenants.
The City of Cape Town has taken a tough stance against criminals who abuse public housing rentals.
On Monday evening, the City's MMC for human settlements, Carl Pophaim, joined law enforcement agencies in Lavender Hill.
The aim was to drive awareness that teamwork could help flush out criminals and unlawful occupiers in public housing.
The City has more than 45 000 rental flats, accommodating some 160 000 tenants.
Pophaim said the operation in Lavender Hill marked the initial phase of the City's campaign: "See Something? Say Something".
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"We are unequivocally closing the door on criminal activities, prioritising not only the safety of our tenants, but also that of our dedicated officials who tirelessly serve these communities daily.
"This campaign serves as a resolute call to action for communities to collaborate with us, facilitating the eviction of tenants engaging in illicit behaviour and ensuring that City properties do not serve as hubs for criminal enterprises," he said.
"We're taking back our public housing for safer communities. The City's teams are hard at work, but we need the help of our residents and tenants to report crime and unlawful occupation. By working together, we can create safer communities."
The campaign is part of the City's investment of more than R1 billion into public housing over the next three years.
Pophaim added:
The time for gangsters and criminals to use our public housing as spaces to peddle drugs and to deteriorate communities is over. We're going to protect residents, but we're calling on residents to work with us.
"Hence, the name, 'See Something? Say Something'. We're calling on everyone to report. And this is part of growing and expanding the work done by our social housing and public housing sector safety units, which is going into communities, to serve contravention notices where people are obstructing their lease," he said.
