HUP and its stakeholders feed the homeless on Mandela Day
“We are spending time with the homeless and most importantly giving them some food to make sure that they have something in their stomach,” said social development department social worker Hlezi Mahlangu said.
Christmas came early to more than one hundred homeless people in Gezina when a local organisation gave them a delicious meal.
Non-profit Homeless Upliftment Projects (HUP) founder and executive manager Buang Mfumane told Rekord that his organisation together with its stakeholders hosted the homeless at a local park.
“Today’s event is about celebrating Mandela Day by adding value to people’s lives and also making community members aware of the homelessness problem in the city,” he said.
Mandela Day is celebrated on the late icon and former president Nelson Mandela’s birthday, July 18. It focuses on, among others, commemorating his life and legacy.
The event, which started at the HUP shelter in Arcadia and ended at the park in Gezina, saw more than 25 volunteers clean up the park on the corner of Flowers Street and Johan Heyns Drive then feeding the homeless as well as gifting them bags and clothes.
Mfumane said they chose this day because of the good work the former statesman played in uniting the people of South Africa.
“We believe that if we follow in his footsteps, through working together, we can achieve a lot in terms of dealing with homelessness.”
He said that their analysis revealed that many people did not understand homelessness so needed to be made aware of it.
Event organiser Zanele Mngadi said the event was about spending 67 minutes of their time adding value to those less fortunate.
“HUP decided to come here at the park and spend some time with some homeless people,” Mngadi said.
She said the event eased the pain that the homeless endured daily.
“Homelessness is a serious problem that can affect anyone.”
She said among the homeless were people who lost their jobs, were unemployed, ran away from home, grew up in children’s homes and therefore had to leave upon turning 18 years old and students who lost their bursaries.
“We have a lot of categories of homelessness including near homelessness, chronic homelessness and situational homelessness.”
She said the near homeless are those who had just lost their jobs, chronic homeless, those who had been homeless from the onset and situational homeless those who, for example, had been evicted.
She urged residents to help the homeless when they could or donate to organisations that help them.
“We are spending time with the homeless and most importantly giving them some food to make sure that they have something in their stomach,” said social development department social worker Hlezi Mahlangu said.
She said she wanted the homeless to realise that they were still recognised as members of the community.
“They are part of us and entitled to the services that we render as social development.”
Beneficiary Musa Sifunda said he was excited about the event and the donations.
“I am excited that the volunteers gave us some food and clothes to satisfy our needs,” he said.
He urged the volunteers and donors to help them again in the future adding that their assistance meant a lot to the needy.
He said he became homeless after losing his job.
Sunnyside police helped HUP employees prepare the food parcels and also joined them in Arcadia.
“We participate in this event to remember the late former President Nelson Mandela, who taught us to join hands with our communities,” Sunnyside police spokesperson Captain Daniel Mavimbela said.
Capt Mavimbela said attending the event made the community members and the homeless realise that the police were normal people who could work together with them.
“Such visits can help in enhancing our partnerships with the homeless people,” he said adding that in most instances the homeless were witnesses to unlawful activities in their area.
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