Newcastle unites to protect the homeless
"It amazes me to see all walks of life coming together and offering to work with myself and Zama..."
A week has passed since the Amajuba District Municipality launched Operation Sukuma Sakhe (OSS), moving the homeless into a place of safety on March 29, during the 21-day national lockdown.
The location, the old Monte Vista Casino, was chosen by the Amajuba District Municipality and approved by Environmental Health practitioners.
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Local residents, Zama Luck and Ruth Lovelock are both dedicated to helping the less fortunate, and gave the Newcastle Advertiser an exclusive inside look at the activities those housed at the facility go through on a daily basis.
“The homeless are very scared and skeptical; life as they knew it changed drastically. But on a lighter note, they are grateful for the haven they are placed in and are adjusting well,” said Lovelock.
She went on to explain that since the first day of the initiative, everything had been going according to plan.
“The Department of Health has been brilliant! Doctors and nurses visit the facility to keep tabs on the homeless and monitor their health. This allows us to get to know the group better and assess where they stand with their wellness.”
Regarding the feeding scheme at the shelter, Luck and Lovelock are working hand in hand with the community and the Amajuba District Municipality to ensure all 27 people at the facility are well fed.
Donations of bread, fruit, tinned goods and anything which can be used to make a meal are collected, but Lovelock explained she and Luck did not do the cooking themselves.
“The homeless have taken it upon themselves to work in unison, to cook and provide for each other. It amazes me to see all walks of life coming together and offering to work with myself and Zama, to strategise the rationing of food, plan meal times and create a menu with a variety of dishes served three times a day; breakfast, lunch and dinner.”
Community members and local supermarkets in Newcastle are also stepping up to help the less fortunate, by donating items of food and toiletries.
“The generosity in Newcastle flows abundantly. Over the years I have worked with the community, our residents have shown time and time again that they are not shy to lend a helping hand to the less fortunate. Just the other day, we received a donation of 60 loaves of bread from a local supermarket. Let’s continue to work together and help the needy,” encouraged Lovelock.
*All photos used in this article were submitted by Ruth Lovelock and permission was given by the relevant departments for them to be published by the Newcastle Advertiser.
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