Winter break-ins at Muizenberg Beach huts raise safety concerns

A recent break-in at a Muizenberg beach hut has added to a string of similar incidents this winter, with volunteers now facing escalating damage and complex challenges linked to homelessness in the area.

In the early hours of the morning, on Saturday, June 28, a couple from Rocklands, Mitchell’s Plain, reportedly broke into one of the huts after unsuccessfully trying to force open another. 

According to Angela Gorman, chair of the Friends of the Muizenberg Huts, the pair smashed a door and lock before finding one they could break through. They were discovered the next morning sleeping beneath a plastic sheet.

A case was opened at Muizenberg Police Station following the break-in.

“They had a backpack with them, which police later found to contain a large knife and drugs,” said Ms Gorman. “The woman claimed a private security guard at The Empire had told them they could sleep in the huts.”

The couple are now facing charges in court and were released with a warning into the care of the woman’s father. 

Ms Gorman noted that shelters were not an option for them.

“It was our first instinct to try to get them to a shelter,” she said. “But because they arrived from Mitchell’s Plain with drugs and a weapon, shelters won’t take them — and even if they did, couples are separated due to single-sex sleeping arrangements.”

Shaddie Valayadum, CEO of The Haven Night Shelter, said options are available, though they come with limitations.

“Over winter, we can take couples,” said Mr Valayadum, “but we don’t have family shelters, so they will have to sleep separately.”

He explained that while couples can be accommodated in the same shelter, “sleeping together is a no-no” due to a lack of family facilities.

“There is only one family shelter in the Western Cape, and that’s in Somerset West — and it has a long waiting list ”

Still, Mr Valayadum said that if people are truly committed to getting off the street, shelters will find a way to assist. “If they really want to get off the streets, we will make a plan,” he said.

He added that shelter capacity can be a challenge, particularly in winter. “I know Kalk Bay is now full,” he said, “so what we do is take them in and then refer them somewhere else."

“There’s always an option,” he said. “It may not be ideal for the individual, but there is always an option.”

Ms Gorman said there have already been 30 break-ins this winter, with many more attempted ones that still caused damage.

“It’s emotionally exhausting,” she said. “Our volunteers are constantly replacing doors and locks, only to find more damage the next day. It’s not sustainable.” She estimated the cost of repairs so far at around R36,000.

11 huts on East Beach remain unlocked, and Ms Gorman noted that the couple could have sheltered there without causing further harm. “Now our team has to repair two huts unnecessarily.”

The Friends of the Muizenberg Huts have suggested involving the City’s Law Enforcement Displaced Persons Unit or Social Development Department in the couple’s case.

Ms Gorman said they have asked their Beach Hut employee, who accompanied the couple to court, to propose this to the magistrate.

Looking ahead, the group is calling for more targeted support from both the City and the public.

“We’d like to see a dedicated City hotline or WhatsApp line for beach-area concerns — not just the general Law Enforcement number,” said Ms Gorman. “This is an iconic area that attracts international tourists. We have a responsibility to ensure both their safety and the protection of our heritage.”

She also called for overnight patrols, similar to those in place at St James Beach, and suggested a public-private partnership to fast-track repairs to the huts.

“There are models elsewhere — like the DiscoveryInsure and Dialdirect pothole repair initiative in Johannesburg — that we could replicate here.”

For now, Ms Gorman said the group remains committed to protecting the huts and finding compassionate, constructive responses to the broader homelessness issue.

“Break-ins are a problem, but so is the lack of support for people sleeping rough. Both need attention — urgently.”