Head of Displaced Persons Unit addresses residents concerning growing numbers of displaced people in the precinct
PARKVIEW – Residents are encouraged to donate to care centres and shelters instead of giving directly to the displaced people.
Head of the Displaced Persons Sub-Unit (DPU) at the City of Joburg’s Department of Social Development Kebonye Senna addressed residents at a recent public Community Policing Forum (CPF) meeting concerning the growing number of displaced persons in the precinct.
Senna explained that it is not her responsibility to remove displaced people but rather provide alternatives for them. She said that displaced persons are encouraged to go to the assessment centre where they will be profiled and their needs identified. DPU has three assessment centres in regions B, C and F offering displaced persons a placed to sleep, food to eat and a shower.
There is also a process of empowerment of displaced persons which involves referrals to specialised services, job readiness assessments, support groups, skills development and guidance in self-awareness, rehabilitation programmes, outreach and family reunification.
She said that Section 40 of the Mental Health Act requires SAPS to remove mentally ill people from the streets and take them to hospitals for a 72-hour psychiatric evaluation and further intervention.
Senna appeals to residents to assist by not being hypocritical, stating that when residents see people supporting the displaced persons with food, money or clothes, residents should speak up and rather encourage Good Samaritans to donate to care centres and shelters.
On 25 October, the City is hosting a homelessness workshop with the purpose to develop a Transversal City of Joburg strategy for displaced persons.
The City is in the process of establishing two spaces/sleeping zones for the displaced in the inner city based on the Cape Town model for safe spaces, which is customised to the needs of the displaced in the City of Joburg. So far, two-site for safe spaces have been identified in the inner city.
The Parkview CPF is currently coordinating an intervention to deal with the growing number of displaced persons in the precinct. Their first step is to create a comprehensive map of all the areas where displaced persons are living, then allow staff from DPU to interview and profile each person by analysing their needs. Once needs have been established, various interventions involving several government agencies will be implemented. This is a multi-disciplinary collaboration involving SAPS, Metro police, DPU, Home Affairs and the Department of Health.
Should residents want to inform the CPF of displaced persons living in their suburb, please email communications@parkviewcpf.co.za
Should residents experience problems with displaced persons in Region B, please contact the DPU’s operational manager Lindiwe Tshabalala on 073 253 1524 who will advise them on proper interventions and conduct site visits.
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