The ward councillor for Harfield Village, Kenilworth, Claremont and Rondebosch is urging residents to not give hand-outs to the homeless but rather support registered shelters.
Growing homelessness in the area, particularly in Imam Haron Road, and in the vicinity of Claremont police station, the Stegman Road Mosque, the Kenilworth train station and near Campground Road in Rondebosch, is aggravated by people giving money, food, clothing and tents to street people, says Ward 58 councillor Katherine Christie.
“These kinds of handouts are enabling the homeless to stay on the streets, they may be buying drugs or alcohol and will be staying on the streets,” she said.
Last Friday, she launched a ward-wide awareness drive to encourage residents to help the homeless in what she said was a more sustainable way.
Ms Christie urged residents to contribute to the City’s Give Dignity campaign, which supports over 20 homeless shelters, such as the Haven Night Shelter, the City Safe Spaces and the Elim Night Shelter.
The Give Dignity campaign also supports the shelters in their efforts to reintegrate the homeless back into the community.
Ms Christie said the public could also help the homeless by buying Mi-Change vouchers, which were created by U-Turn and Mould Empower Serve, two non-profit organisations that help the homeless.
A pack of four Mi-Change vouchers costs R50, and each voucher can be redeemed at partnering service providers for a meal, a bed, shelter, clothing, a shower and toiletries.
U-Turn spokeswoman Rowen Ravera-Bauer said those who ignored the homeless or gave them hand-outs helped to perpetuate the cycle of homelessness.
“You are committing those homeless individuals to stay on the street and some of them were teachers, counsellors and sales representatives where they become wasted resources,” she said.
The vouchers, she said, helped to put the homeless in touch with services where they could get proper help to turn their lives around.
“Enable them to access support, rehabilitation and skills development,“ she said
Visit michange.org or email info@michange.org for more information about the Mi-Change vouchers. And go to capetown.gov.za or call 0800 872 201 for more information on the City’s Give Dignity campaign.
