Relocation shatters hearts of homeless at Lahee Park
The atmosphere at Lahee Park turned sombre as occupants prepared to come to terms with the sudden move.
THIRTY year-old Lethukuthula Mbatha stood staring at the garden project which he and others started at a place which they regarded as their home since the beginning of lockdown.
ALSO READ: Pinetown homeless plant seeds of hope at Lahee Park
For many homeless people around Pinetown, Lahee Park was more than a shelter to them but a home which they have grown to love and treasure.
On Thursday, 3 September the atmosphere turned sombre as occupants were still coming to terms with the sudden move. The homeless were notified on Tuesday, 1 September that they would be moving to another camp on Saturday, 5 September.
“The park had become a warm home for many of us, something most of us never felt. We were involved with so many uplifting projects,” said Mbatha.
He said moving to Durban is going to be hard. “I feel like we are being pulled backward, our vegetables were starting to grow, we knew we were not going to stay here forever. We are very hurt and disturbed.
“We were getting used to this life, we were happy. We are scared as we do not know what await us in Durban and some are reluctant to move so that means going back to the streets for them,” said Mbatha.
ALSO READ: Homeless people housed at Pinetown’s Lahee Park during lockdown
Hoosen Amod from El Gibbor Kitchen, said they are scared that some of the people will be forced to go back onto the streets. “They have made so much progress, some managed to get piece jobs around Pinetown,” he said.
Amod said the amount of homeless people in Pinetown is shocking but yet there is no shelter for them. “With love, so many of them changed and were rehabilitated. This became a community project, we were a family.”
Amod appealed to the municipality to consider building a shelter for the homeless in Pinetown.
“We are hoping that we could get some property in the near future, even an abandoned building or land. We are not afraid of the work or the commitment, we love the guys and want what’s best for them,” he said.
The camp was set up on 1 April. “We came together as a community and helped our brothers and sisters who were on the streets in this scariest time that we would ever experience,” added Amod.
El Gibbor Kitchen together with Pinetown Street Ministries and Pinetown Highway Christian Community started a soup kitchen to feed the homeless when they were moved to the park.
Safe Sleeping Spaces underway – Municipality
Responding to the sudden move, eThekwini Municipality spokesperson, Msawakhe Mayisela said the City established the temporary shelters to accommodate homeless people as part of the Covid-19 response.
“At least 13 shelters were established to serve this purpose but as the Covid-19 restrictions and regulations are relaxed, most of the Covid-19 emergency shelters will be decommissioned,” said Mayisela.
He said the City is now moving to the model of Safe Sleeping Spaces wherein people will be allowed to sleep in a ‘safe place’ but to vacate the site in the morning and come back in the afternoon to sleep.
“This project is underway in the inner city and hence we are moving people who are still not able to return to their homes closer to the inner city where they will be provided with a safe sleeping space. There are two safe sleeping spaces that are available in the inner city and this is what is being promoted as a response to homelessness post Covid-19,” added Mayisela. Mayisela said other options such as shelters are still not implemented except one that is operated by the City and is accommodating only women.
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At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.
