Homeless ‘Duma’ is an inspiration

WHILE most people on the Berea have strong views about the homeless staying in the community, Musgrave’s Sipho Duma, known to most as “Duma” has certainly changed perceptions of homeless people.

In nearly two decades, he has become more than a familiar friendly face and is considered an important part of the community with his selfless dedication to cleaning up the area he calls home.

Farida Dawood, a Musgrave resident who has passed Duma over the years says he has a gentle personality and greets everybody while he cleans the roads. “I see him in the mornings from about at 9am. He does all the cleaning up, along the roads running along Silverton Road right up to DHS. He does this and gets a cup of tea from the Silver Vause Cafe and we see him sitting on the bench there having a break,” Dawood explained.

As an ex-teacher, Dawood said she was so proud of Sipho and that he was a great example for the homeless in the community. “With the new Nuisances and Behaviour in Public Places by-laws, I think many can learn from him. He doesn’t ask or beg for money, but is proactive and collects all the litter. Once I gave him a R5 coin, he went down on his knees and had tears in his eyes when he thanked me,” she said.

Duma doesn’t remember why he started cleaning up the area or for how long he has been doing it, but told Berea Mail it was just part of his daily routine. “I just wanted to clean up because it doesn’t look good. I’m helping the people and making the place look clean and good,” he said.

Born in Kwa Mashu, Duma said he completed standard seven, before he went to find work in Durban. “I worked at the railway station cleaning trains from 1976 to 1995. Then I had no work so I tried to get odd jobs all over Durban. But when I couldn’t find work I cleaned the area and slept on the road.”

Now 61-years-old, Duma never married and his parents and siblings have all passed on, so he is all alone and has no place to call home. “I have had to sleep on the streets for many years, probably since 1997 and it’s very hard. It’s bad to live on the streets and dangerous, but there’s nothing I can do. Life is hard, especially when you are old and don’t have family. Sometimes people help me and give me change, or buy me food and it all helps, but I would like a safe place to stay to call home where I can sleep.”

Duma said he picks up cans, bottles, paper, packets and other litter at the bottom of Essenwood Road and comes up Musgrave to Silverton where he gets a cup of tea before continuing. “I start in the morning and continue cleaning as long as I see rubbish along the roads,” he added.

Farouk Sayed, the owner of Silver Vause Cafe, said, “Duma has been here longer than I have and I took over the shop 14 years ago. He’s never been a problem and is just harmless, homeless and penniless. He usually comes for a cup of tea daily and sometimes has breakfast here in the morning before he continues picking up litter on the upper roads.