The clean moat at the Castle of Good Hope after squatters were evicted.
The public are invited to help Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean MacPherson and mayor Geordin Hill Lewis plant greenery around the Castle of Good Hope this Saturday November 16 from 1pm.
The initiative by Public Works follows the eviction, two weeks ago, of squatters who had occupied the area since 2020.
On Friday November 1, City trucks and tractors moved in to clear dozens of crude dwellings under the watch of law enforcement. Thereafter, it took the City of Cape Town’s cleaning staff almost three days to clean the tons of debris from moat left behind by the squatters.
Castle Control Board chairperson Calvyn Gillfelon thanked all those helping to clean up the area. “It’s a place where working class, tourists and business class come together, and we can enjoy the space of the oldest colonial building in the country.”
He said they were now sanitising and landscaping the vacant space for the public. “Thereafter, the safety and security concerns of the entire eastern precinct must be addressed as a matter of high priority.”
The family event on Saturday is free, and all plants and tools will be provided.