City programmes will assist homeless
The municipality is reaching out to homeless people, who cannot be stopped from entering the city.
eTHEKWINI Municipality has initiated a number of interventions to assist the homeless who live on Durban’s streets and parks.
That’s the message from the municipality’s Head of Communications, Tozi Mthethwa in response to calls on the city to take action against the many vagrants that have taken over open spaces and parks across the city.
Mthethwa said the eThekwini Municipality’s Safer Cities Unit under the Community and Emergency Services Cluster had established outreach programmes which take place every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am to 2pm, from a tent at King DinuZulu Park (formerly Botha Park).
“The homeless people who used to live in Albert Park and have since moved to King DinuZulu Park and other surrounding areas are assisted by social workers who are substance abuse counsellors employed by the municipality, under the Expanded Public Works Programme or university graduates. During the outreach programme, those who are found to be in need of medical care are referred to local eThekwini health clinics. The community care givers who are field workers also attend to those that require further assistance,” said Mthethwa.
She said the city had also partnered with NGOs such as the Dennis Hurley Centre in Bertha Mkhize (Victoria) Street which were providing outreach services to the homeless including medical treatment. She said a mobile clinic also provided primary health care. “Other medical assistance in relation to drug abuse and addiction is provided to them at local community health care centres run by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health,” she said.
“Those who are ready and willing to be rehabilitated are taken to rehabilitation centres depending on the level of addiction and withdrawal symptoms. The patients are then referred to hospital. The homeless are each given a card which they produce so ocial workers can easily identify that they are involved in the programme and track each individual’s progress,” she said.
Mthethwa said Mayor James Nxumalo also recently launched the Clean my City campaign which is a multidisciplinary programme that addresses by-law infringements, derelict buildings, litter, pollution, vagrancy and social ills amongst other issues.
“One of our biggest challenges as a city is that we cannot control the movement of the homeless, however our officials are tracking their movements and relocate the tent as and when they have identified a new spot where the homeless congregate. Importantly, the city has a set of by-laws which accord us the powers to enforce the law in case of contraventions. Those who persist with illicit activities after we have provided ideas and resources to eradicate this challenge will face the full might of the law. We also encourage parents and relatives who suspect their loved ones are living in the streets to urgently visit the site where the tent is located,” she said.
Mthethwa said the municipality was committed to ensuring a safe and clean environment for its citizens and visitors through utilising available resources from various departments within the city and working with other stakeholders.
