How Tshwane will deal with homelessness through ‘First in SA’ policy

The Tshwane metro, Unisa, University of Pretoria and the Tshwane Homeless forum have signed a “First in SA” social contract to support the homeless in the capital.

Dubbed the Tshwane Street Homelessness’s policy, a “first in South Africa”, the contract was approved by the council in 2019.

Tshwane community and social development group head Tich Mekhoe said the city will enter a partnership with provincial and national social development departments to ensure that the metro had all resources at its disposal.

“Recently, Gauteng adopted a street homelessness strategy, which is aligned to our policy.”

He said on the agenda of committing to the policy was to earmark buildings, of which six in the metro were sited.

“Two schools in Mamelodi and Mabopane have been identified but we are awaiting final approval on certain documentation.”

He said the metro needed to also ensure NGOs that would run the facilities and the sites had lease agreements.

“Currently, we are also finding ways of dealing with No 2 Struben shelter and Malgisedek.”

He said the metro had taken a decision to use its expanded public works programme to assist the homeless with employment, skills development and obtaining identity documents.

“We are looking at bringing in various departments, such as Tshwane metro police, SAPS, group property and human settlements, as these departments will play a crucial role in winning this challenge we face in Tshwane.”

Mekhoe said the role of these departments was crucial as police needed to provide security to assist, while other departments provided economic opportunities, building facilities, rehabilitation and other programmes.

He said his department was facing an issue of currently working with no budget.

“The metro has no budget for homelessness, however, the mayor has committed to creating a directorate for homelessness, meaning it will be elevated to a level where we can appoint a director to deal with implementations of the policy.”

Mekhoe said an inter-departmental task team would also be formed within three months, to begin the steps of the policy.

Tshwane MMC of social development Thabisile Vilakazi said the contract was the first of its kind throughout the country.

“As committed partners, Tshwane and stakeholders acknowledge that the challenges regarding homelessness in Tshwane require that we work together in partnership towards providing support to the homeless.”

Vilakazi said she wanted to challenge the national and provincial governments to come to the table as homelessness would not be only solved by one sphere of government.

“We are fully committed to doing all we can to ensure we create a city that cares and safeguards the rights of our vulnerable communities.”