Displaced people in Johannesburg still left desperate during #LockdownSA
HOUGHTON – More other homeless people in the suburbs seek temporary shelter to avoid infection of Covid-19.
Displaced people in the Johannesburg north-eastern suburbs remain without shelter during the lockdown.
When President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the lockdown on 23 March to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, displaced people were promised temporary shelters to avoid being infected.
More than 100 in the north-east of the city have not been placed in shelters. After North Eastern Tribune reported on the plight of these people in the article, Temporary shelters at a premium during Covid-19, [Week Ending 10 April], the situation has since worsened with neighbouring wards also having the same challenge.
In the article, Ward 81 councillor, Irene Rugheimer, said they were struggling to find temporary shelters for their homeless community and Ward 73 councillor Eleanor Huggett reiterated the same.
Huggett said she had been working with the Norwood Community Policing Forum (CPF) to help identify where these people could be housed.
“The CPF is assisting with issues with the many homeless and vulnerable people still in the ward,” she said.
“It is a disgrace that a place of safety has not been found yet by the authorities for them. I am compiling a list of locations so if or when shelter is found, they can easily be located and taken to a place of safety.”
On 8 April, Rugheimer confirmed that they have not been able to find shelters for the more than 100 that they have identified.
“It’s a very difficult situation and we are now desperate to allocate them. We have reported this to the City’s Department of Social Development and we haven’t heard any response yet,” said Rugheimer.
She said the executive (the mayor and members of the executive council) continued to meet about the situation but no feedback has been provided.
Nthatise Modingoane, the City’s spokesperson, said, “We have a disaster management joint operation centre which the councillor can contact and space will be allocated to those who need shelter.”
Details: Irene Rugheimer 072 409 6594.
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Related article:
https://northeasterntribune.co.za/264990/self-isolation-space-made-available-for-needy-people/
