Local news

Toti feeding continues to cause friction

Ward 97 councillor André Beetge has repeatedly requested that the feeding schemes be relocated farther away from business and residential areas.

WARD 97 councillor André Beetge has expressed concern about the ongoing issue of feeding the hungry by the Good Samaritans in the Amanzimtoti CBD.

Beetge said this in response to a community dialogue meeting that was held in October regarding the matter.
At the meeting, the feeding of the homeless and destitute polarised the community as some attendants were of the view that feeding the unfortunate equates to feeding the problem of crime.

Also read: Homeless to reunite with families post-lockdown

“While there is certainly justification to be found within scriptures, the reality of society also teaches that there are two sides to every story,” said Beetge.

To try and understand the situation of the homeless, Beetge said that 54 individuals, representing both genders and from different races, aged between 13 and 63, and classified as homeless, destitute or misplaced, and who were noted around the general vicinity of the CBD, were profiled.

“The investigation revealed that 53 were not from Ward 97. Their problems ranged from drug dependency to family feuds often related to drug abuse, unemployment and lack of shelter,” he said.

“Only six of these people,” said Beegte, “indicated they would take assistance with rehabilitation and whom I could see reunited with family.”

“There are no shelters in the immediate area, and there are no plans by any sphere of government to build or establish such shelters to house those who seem to find their way into our town for a plate of food. Some are seen begging at intersections between meals,” said Beegte.

He added that his office has repeatedly requested that the feeding schemes be relocated to areas where it is largely out of public sight, farther away from the retail or residential areas and possibly closer to where the need originates.

“Sadly, these requests seem to fall on deaf ears to the point where we were recently told that the community complaints were unjustified and that we should rather just agree to disagree. We agree that we cannot just allow this to happen – too many people are working too hard to make our town a better place. We also agree and understand that some are reliant on a meal from our Good Samaritans, but we disagree that it has to come at a cost to businesses having to close their doors,” he said.

He disagreed, however, that there are no more suited or better locations where the good work can continue while taking the interest of all into consideration.

 

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Vusi Mthalane

Senior Journalist

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