Small groups of homeless people have left the Strandfontein relocation site on Friday morning, as it prepares to close.

There was a large police presence and many people remain inside.

A relieved group who were hitchhiking back to Plumstead said they are better off on the streets than inside the camp. Owen Abrahams alleged they were given sour food and insufficient medical assistance. He says they were restricted from moving to other tents and little social distancing was adhered to.

Both the Human Rights Commission and Doctors Without Borders advised that the site be shutdown due to the conditions inside.

The City’s Zahid Badroodien says the camp is not closing due to pressure from the Human Rights Commission as the site was always going to close. Badroodien says as of today (30 April 2020), no more people will be taken in and those seeking assistance will be “helped to smaller shelters being prepared”. He said the site is expected to be empty by May 20th 2020.