Government scrambled to set up temporary shelters but despite efforts to enforce the lockdown, many homeless remained outdoors - rummaging through bins and begging at traffic intersections.We have largely underestimated the extent of homelessness in the province; it was initially thought that there would be around 15,000 homeless people who would need to be catered for during the lockdown.
It is now estimated that there are around 50,000 homeless people in Gauteng - 15,000 in Johannesburg and around 10,000 in Tshwane.We are now at level 4 of the national lockdown, and serious consideration needs to be made as to what will happen to the large number of homeless people in the province that have been housed in different temporary shelters during this period.
Most of the homeless people were moved from the areas where they used to find shelter at night to the temporary shelters that are situated kilometres away from their usual locations. We are concerned that the homeless people will be forgotten and neglected as soon as the national lockdown is lifted and that there are also no long-term plans in place for this community.
Now is the right time to address homelessness in the province and the department of social development should use this opportunity to engage the homeless people to understand their challenges. These interventions can also result in the rehabilitation of some of the homeless people, leading to them being reintegrated with their families, relatives and their communities.In Nigeria an organisation called the Mental Health Innovation Network has partnered with the government, Methodist Church and the Amaudo Itumbauzo NGO to reduce destitution among people with mental illness through rehabilitation and reintegration with families.
The pandemic has allowed time for many things. Including fixing pit latrines in schools. The pandemic also came to expose areas most neglected by gov over 26 years. Chickens have come home to roost. 50 days and nothing has been worked on yet !
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