Durban reunites more than 30 homeless people with their families
Some homeless people left their families due to conflict, drug abuse or unemployment and are yearning to return home.
AS part of their work to assists the homeless during lockdown, the eThekwini Municipality’s Safer Cities Unit is attempting to reunite homeless people with their families.
Spokesperson for the municipality, Msawakhe Mayisela said more than 30 people were reunited with with their families during the seven-day window period during the inter-provincial travelling period.
Some were sent back to their families in Cape Town, Johannesburg and other parts of KZN.
“It should be noted that not all homeless people are really homeless as most of them have homes here in eThekwini, some in other parts of KZN, others are coming from other provinces and outside South Africa. A number of them left their families due to circumstances such as family conflict, drug abuse or unemployment. Some are yearning to go back home and therefore the reunification is meant to facilitate these relationships so that people can be reunited with their families after the lockdown,” he said.
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The Safer Cities Unit of eThekwini Municipality is responsible for the management of 12 shelters in the city supported by Community Participation and Disaster Management.
“The 12 emergency shelters house a total of 1557 homeless people,” he said.
All sites are managed by Safer Cities expect the Denis Hurley Centre, YMCA, Strollers and the Durban Jewish Club which are NGOs, managing sites on behalf of Safer Cities.
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