The City of Cape Town’s Social Housing Unit has arrested over sixty people since the start of the year in connection with illegal housing occupation.

Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, says the unit was established in 2012 to curb the illegal occupation of council owned units and to ensure that tenants comply with their lease agreements.

Smith says the unit has also responded to over 450 complaints, most of which were for drug-related offences. He says the unit has started an initiative called the Blue Flag Project, which focusses on houses in Ravensmead and Uitsig.

In those 144 council rental units we made an extra effort in terms of curbing drug abuse, gang activity and anti-social behaviour.

In this process the unit has been able to reclaim five rental units in that area.

They were also able to reduce the criminal behaviour and the occupation of these persons and the illegal occupants left.