City's initiatives help over 5,000 people off the streets
Image: Picture: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers
Some 5 073 people were helped off the streets in 2024/25, compared to 4 409 the previous financial year, through shelter placements, reunifying families, and other forms of reintegration, the City said.
"The City does as much as possible, but we cannot do it alone. Our partners play an integral part in assisting rough sleepers and we can do more, because of their role. I want to thank them for their selfless dedication and commitment to some of the City's most vulnerable people," said Community Services and Health mayco member, Francine Higham.
Further efforts to get people off the streets included: 691 people participating in development programmes at City-run Safe Spaces.
80 Expanded Public Works Programme work placements to help those staying at the Safe Spaces and in shelters get back on their feet.
627 referrals for social grants, identity documents, specialised care facilities, and substance abuse treatment.
The City's support for people sleeping rough on the streets includes access to City-run Safe Spaces and partner shelters, work and reintegration programmes and assistance in overcoming substance abuse as part of its Rough Sleeper Strategy.
One of the people who was assisted is 40-year-old Legidas Ndaviragiye who returned to his home country of Burundi in early July.
Legidas was in the country legally, but had fallen on hard times after a fire destroyed his home and he had no alternative place to stay.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Next
Stay
Close ✕
"Our field officers first met Legidas in 2022 as a rough sleeper after a complaint was received. Our staff arranged shelter placement, and followed up for two years. Along with the Haven Night Shelter, we assisted him with the reunification process and soon he was ready to return to his home country.
"His life is one of many changed through our interventions. We are serious about restoring dignity and impacting the lives of those who find themselves on the street, in a positive way. We are committed to assisting as many people as possible with solutions that make an impact and are sustainable," Higham said.
The 2025/26 budget includes a proposed R9.9 million for upgrading and expanding existing safe spaces; and a proposed operations budget which includes, R 1.7 million for street people programmes, i.e. support programmes and winter readiness, and R 1.4 million for the EPWP street people economics project. Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel.
Cape Argus
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eyewitness News
a day ago
- Eyewitness News
City of Cape Town helps the homeless to get off the streets
CAPE TOWN—The City of Cape Town has partnered with shelters to create safe spaces for those sleeping on the streets this winter. In an update, the city said the Rough Sleeper Strategy has helped 5000 people to get off the streets. The program offers aid to fight substance abuse, obtain ID documents, and provide a warm bed and meal for those sleeping on the streets. MMC for Services and Health, Councillor Francine Higham, said the program is centred around reuniting families. 'The city operates four safe spaces and has partnered with eleven shelters across the metro. The city safe space model includes dignified shelter and ablutions facilities, two nutritious meals daily, and onsite social work services, as well as personal development planning and assistance with ID documents and social grants,' said Higham
IOL News
4 days ago
- IOL News
The water crisis in eThekwini: a violation of human rights
These areas, predominantly minority communities and historically marginalised, appear to be on an unofficial water-shedding schedule, with supply often disappearing by midday and only returning the following morning, says the writer. Image: File/ Timothy Bernard/ Independent Newspapers OVER the past several years, residents of eThekwini have become well-acquainted with the ritual of stockpiling water, waking at unearthly hours to fill buckets, and sending children off to school without knowing whether there will be running taps in the bathrooms. In Phoenix, Tongaat, Verulam, Chatsworth, and Isipingo, these routines are not emergency responses anymore - they have become a way of life. What we are experiencing is not just a water crisis; it is a collapse of governance, accountability, and ultimately, human dignity. It would be comical, if it were not so tragic, that those who pay for water - diligent ratepayers - are the ones being systematically deprived of it. These areas, predominantly minority communities and historically marginalised, appear to be on an unofficial water-shedding schedule, with supply often disappearing by midday and only returning the following morning. This is not equitable service delivery; this is systemic failure disguised as operational strain. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The Constitution of South Africa is unequivocal: Section 27(1)(b) states that everyone has the right to have access to sufficient water. The Water Services Act 108 of 1997, reinforces this, mandating municipalities to provide water services in a manner that is efficient, equitable, and sustainable. What we are witnessing in eThekwini is a direct violation of this constitutional imperative. What's worse is the perception - and in some cases the stark reality - that the city is weaponising incompetence. There are whispers, growing louder by the day, suggesting that this suffering is not accidental but deliberate: some point to racial indifference, others to revenge fantasies tied to the so-called "Phoenix Massacre." Whatever the motive, the outcome is the same - families, schools, hospitals, and businesses are left high and dry. Let's talk about leadership. City Manager Musa Mbhele has repeatedly failed to provide coherent explanations for the water crisis. The Executive Director of Water and Sanitation, Ednick Msweli, now presides over a department that is in complete disrepair - a department he previously led. That's right, the fox has been put back in charge of the henhouse. Meanwhile, political office bearers fiddle while eThekwini leaks. The city loses around 60% of its water through leaks, theft, illegal connections, and unmetered standpipes. To put that in perspective, that's like earning a salary and having more than half of it stolen from your wallet before payday. Umgeni-uThukela, the bulk water supplier, has implemented water curtailments and has threatened to reduce supply to the metro by 90% unless urgent corrective action is taken. And who will bear the brunt of that? You guessed it - residents, ratepayers, and the voiceless poor. The Auditor-General has warned, year after year, about the financial and operational implications of water loss. These findings have been met with the same enthusiastic response we see in council meetings: a shrug, a finger-point, and another committee formed to investigate the committee that failed to investigate the last one. Meanwhile, the city has turned water into a commodity for tenderpreneurs. There is mounting evidence of a "tanker mafia," corrupt officials, and overpriced water delivery contracts that benefit the few at the expense of the many. Instead of fixing infrastructure, we are fueling an ecosystem of dependency and profiteering. The game being played is not chess; it's Monopoly - and the utilities are all owned by the usual suspects. The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has received several complaints regarding the water crisis in eThekwini. In multiple findings, the SAHRC has stated that the failure to provide basic water services constitutes a violation of human rights. Yet, there appears to be no real urgency from the city to implement these recommendations. The reports are gathering dust while residents gather water. Let us not underestimate the impact this has on our most vulnerable. Elderly citizens, many with chronic conditions, are forced to carry buckets of water just to flush toilets. Schools operate without running water, compromising hygiene and learning conditions. Hospitals and clinics - the very institutions meant to preserve life - are rendered powerless without consistent water supply. Businesses suffer, productivity declines, and potential investors look elsewhere. Who wants to invest in a city where you can't flush a toilet or brew a cup of tea? This crisis is not merely about burst pipes and empty reservoirs. It is about the economic credibility of a city on the brink. eThekwini's ability to attract investment, retain residents, and sustain its own revenue base is directly tied to the provision of basic services. The current state of affairs sends a loud and clear message: this city is not open for business. So what can be done? Residents have the right to escalate the matter through legal and civic channels. Petitions, public protests, class action lawsuits, and formal complaints to the SAHRC and Public Protector are not just options - they are civic duties. We must also demand transparency: real-time water supply data, audit reports on water contracts, and a published timeline for infrastructure repairs. Ultimately, the solution lies not in patchwork projects or shifting accountability. We need an overhaul - new leadership, criminal investigations into corrupt officials, and a zero-tolerance policy for mismanagement. We need political will backed by technical competence and ethical governance. Most of all, we need to stop normalizing dysfunction. Water is life. In eThekwini, it has become a luxury for the patient and a profit stream for the corrupt. Jonathan Annipen Image: File Dr Jonathan Annipen is a councillor of the Ethekwini Municipality for the IFP. He serves as the Whip of the IFP in the Finance Committee. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media. THE POST
IOL News
5 days ago
- IOL News
City's initiatives help over 5,000 people off the streets
Rough sleepers at various unlawful occupation hot spots in Cape Town agree to move to City shelters. Image: Picture: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers Some 5 073 people were helped off the streets in 2024/25, compared to 4 409 the previous financial year, through shelter placements, reunifying families, and other forms of reintegration, the City said. "The City does as much as possible, but we cannot do it alone. Our partners play an integral part in assisting rough sleepers and we can do more, because of their role. I want to thank them for their selfless dedication and commitment to some of the City's most vulnerable people," said Community Services and Health mayco member, Francine Higham. Further efforts to get people off the streets included: 691 people participating in development programmes at City-run Safe Spaces. 80 Expanded Public Works Programme work placements to help those staying at the Safe Spaces and in shelters get back on their feet. 627 referrals for social grants, identity documents, specialised care facilities, and substance abuse treatment. The City's support for people sleeping rough on the streets includes access to City-run Safe Spaces and partner shelters, work and reintegration programmes and assistance in overcoming substance abuse as part of its Rough Sleeper Strategy. One of the people who was assisted is 40-year-old Legidas Ndaviragiye who returned to his home country of Burundi in early July. Legidas was in the country legally, but had fallen on hard times after a fire destroyed his home and he had no alternative place to stay. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ "Our field officers first met Legidas in 2022 as a rough sleeper after a complaint was received. Our staff arranged shelter placement, and followed up for two years. Along with the Haven Night Shelter, we assisted him with the reunification process and soon he was ready to return to his home country. "His life is one of many changed through our interventions. We are serious about restoring dignity and impacting the lives of those who find themselves on the street, in a positive way. We are committed to assisting as many people as possible with solutions that make an impact and are sustainable," Higham said. The 2025/26 budget includes a proposed R9.9 million for upgrading and expanding existing safe spaces; and a proposed operations budget which includes, R 1.7 million for street people programmes, i.e. support programmes and winter readiness, and R 1.4 million for the EPWP street people economics project. Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel. Cape Argus
