Belongings of the homeless are confiscated in Blairgowrie Park
City officials remove the belongings of homeless people living in Blairgowrie Park illegally.
![Mbali Zwane removes clothing found in the park. Photo: Nicholas Zaal](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/09/P7MbaliZwane_55434-e1696234619506.jpg)
Beer bottles, mattresses, old blankets and threadbare sheets, tents, clothing, pots, pans and all sorts of other household items one would not expect to find in a public place, were removed by City officials during a joint operation to encourage the relocation of homeless people from Blairgowrie Park.
![Ward 102 councillor Lucinda Harman, urban inspector Nalini Ramsoonder, Pikitup supervisor Peter Mashau and head gardener of City Parks in region B Humphrey Hilmer. Photo: Nicholas Zaal](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/09/P1_43446-e1696234305304-520x373.jpg)
While those living in the park could not be forced to move, all of their valuables, save for their ID books, were confiscated on September 19. They were given the choice of accepting the shelter organised by the Department of Social Development, or remaining where they were.
This because they were illegally living and setting up dwellings in a public park, explained newly elected Ward 102 councillor Lucinda Harman and the urban inspector for the ward, Nalini Ramsoonder.
![A homeless man has a moment to himself just before the clean-up begins. Photo: Nicholas Zaal](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/09/P3PhotoNicholasZ_67160-e1696234325441-520x394.jpg)
“I am always receiving complaints about noise, drinking and fighting in the park,” Harman said. “So they are drinking publicly, which is illegal, and there is pollution. There are no toilets here and it is not a good way to live.”
The pair was joined by officials and workers from JMPD, Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo, Citizen Relationship and Urban Management, the Department of Social Development and Pikitup.
![Complaints have been made about noise, pollution, drinking and fighting in the park where homeless people had set up dwellings. Photo: Nicholas Zaal](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/09/P2PhotoNicholasZ_17900-e1696234349725-520x364.jpg)
The group removed these items and engaged in a large-scale clean-up of the park including removing all rubbish found. The items from an informal business were also removed.
“Only one patch on the side wasn’t seen behind Ekklesia Park,” Harman added. “They will need to return.”
![Enoch Mojela and Esther Muka remove the belongings of the homeless in Blairgowrie Park. Photo: Nicholas Zaal](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/09/P8EnochMojelaand_69973-e1696234374198-520x360.jpg)
![Esther Muka sifts through items left by homeless people in the park. Photo: Nicholas Zaal](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/09/P6_76735-e1696234408706-520x352.jpg)
![The items from this informal business were also removed. Photo: Nicholas Zaal](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/09/P4PhotoNicholasZ_58571-e1696234436677-520x335.jpg)
![Ward 102 councillor Lucinda Harman, urban inspector Nalini Ramsoonder, Pikitup supervisor Peter Mashau and head gardener of City Parks in region B Humphrey Hilmer. Photo: Nicholas Zaal](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/09/P1Ward102councillor_42653-e1696234460481-520x365.jpg)
![Beer bottles are removed from the park. Photo: Nicholas Zaal](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/09/P5PhotoNicholasZ_35998-e1696234492264-307x400.jpg)
![Allucious Manyathi picks up a beer bottle found on the ground. Photo: Nicholas Zaal](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/09/P9AlluciousManyat_36279-e1696234510799-520x357.jpg)
![Velan Mabaso cleans up the park. Photo: Nicholas Zaal](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/09/P10VelanMabaso_80270-e1696234534735-520x365.jpg)
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