THE City recently held an intervention at King Dinuzulu Park (Durban) to address the social challenges facing homeless people. The gathering was addressed by eThekwini Acting Mayor Fawzia Peer and officials from Safer Cities Unit and the Department of Social Development.

The engagement was part of the City’s Qalakabusha programme which seeks to assist homeless people by re-uniting them with their families, rehabilitation and facilitating skills development. Data was collected by identifying the needs of the homeless people. This will help assist them to be reintegrated back into their communities.

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Peer praised officials and civil societies that have been working to tackle the issue of homelessness, adding that the City recently acquired the strollers building in Greyville which will house homeless children and women.

“I am pleased to see homeless people coming out in their numbers for this engagement, it gives me confidence that they will participate and also pass the message to those who were not here,” she said.

Safer Cities Unit Senior Manager Nomusa Shembe said: “During our engagements we found that some are in need of jobs and it was for this reason that we formed a partnership with eThekwini Municipal Academy for a skills training programme on bricklaying. There are 20 homeless people already attending.”

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