NPO’s highlight Durban’s homeless in upcoming election

TO ensure that each person is able to make their mark and have a say in the country’s future, the Denis Hurley Centre (DHC) assisted homeless people to register to vote during registration weekend (September 18 to 19).

This formed part of the National Homeless Manifesto, a campaign of the National Homeless Network. The network, which comprises more than 40 organisations from across the country, drafted a homeless manifesto for the municipal election that focuses on shelter, health, sanitation, safety and work.

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The director of the DHC, Raymond Perrier, encouraged voters to take note of the parties and candidates that endorse the National Homeless Manifesto.

“We want to ensure that issues that affect the poorest citizens of Durban are not neglected. The campaign argues that there are simple, far-reaching policies that are neither costly, nor difficult to achieve, which can be implemented by the incoming eThekwini municipal government that would benefit homeless people. At the same time, also benefit the wider voting citizens,” he said.

Adding their voices to this initiative are more than 30 Durban-based NGOs, academic institutions, religious leaders and corporates. The national ambassador for the campaign is Rev. Prof. Barney Pityana, who chaired of the South African Human Rights Commission, a member of the African Union’s Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the vice-chancellor of UNISA. In Durban, creatives Mpume Mthombeni, Jailoshni Naidoo, Simthandile Mtolo, Samora Chapman, Lisa Bobbert and Aaron McIlroy have all publicly supported the campaign.

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“Defending and promoting human rights must be foremost in our minds in preparing for the municipal elections. The issues facing homeless people in all of our cities are a good example of this. Decisions and policies from local government have a major impact on the lives of homeless people and their ability to enjoy their human rights. We encourage all voters to challenge political parties and local candidates on whether they are willing to support the National Homeless Manifesto, and be willing to be accountable if elected,” said Prof. Pityana.