News

Riverbanks and Rights: Tshwane’s Homelessness Crackdown Sparks Debate

Published

3 weeks ago

August 12, 2025

Chiraag

Tshwane municipal clean-up along Apies River, makeshift shelters removed, community divided, Joburg ETC Homeless shelters cleared by city officials, debate over crime and compassion, student safety concerns

In the heart of Pretoria, the City of Tshwane stirred up a fresh wave of conversation this week after the MMC for Agriculture and Environmental Management, Obakeng Ramabodu, directed a clean-up along the Apies River. Makeshift shelters where homeless individuals stayed were demolished, prompting a range of local reactions, from relief over safety to deep concern for human dignity.

Ramabodu was unreserved in his words: he alleged that the operation turned up handbags, a cellphone, and even drugs, items he claimed were linked to thefts from students from Tshwane University of Technology and Unisa. “These people who sleep under the bridge and around the CBD…are criminals,” he asserted, pointing to recovered belongings as proof of crime. Metro police and waste management officials backed him up by finding items allegedly stolen during the operation.

Yet this action has prompted others to ask: what of the deeper story behind homelessness in Tshwane? More than 200 TUT students had recently voiced worries over safety, particularly in areas like Sunnyside and townships such as Soshanguve and Ga‑Rankuwa, citing targeted thefts and the presence of illicit activity.

Tshwane, like many South African cities, struggles with large numbers of people living on the streets, capturing the intersection of poverty, limited housing, and policy shortfalls. But a sweep like this, critics say, should not be just about clearing space. It should be anchored in care: shelter access, psychiatric support, and social services.

Neighbouring communities seem divided. Some welcome the city’s assertiveness, hoping that reduced informal settlements mean increased safety. Others feel the move reads as criminalising poverty, not addressing it, and with no clear follow-up or support in sight.

The missing context? A sustainable solution. Long-term change needs compassionate structures and pathways out of homelessness rather than just tactical sweeps. Without it, riverbanks will simply repopulate, and those vulnerable voices will remain unheard.