- The Western Cape social development department will fund an additional 1 000 beds for several homeless shelters across the province.
- The provision for the 1 000 bed spaces for the 2021/2022 financial year is in addition to the 1 499 bed spaces which the department currently funds across 27 shelters.
- Half of the beds funded will be allocated to areas outside the Cape Metro.
The Western Cape Department of Social Development will fund an additional 1 000 beds for several homeless shelters across the province.
Social Development MEC Sharna Fernandez paid a visit to the OWL Haven shelter in Lansdowne on Tuesday, where she announced that more beds would be funded in an attempt to get homeless people off the streets.
Fernandez said the department was fully aware of the important role shelters played in ensuring that vulnerable group, like the homeless, were looked after.
"I am pleased to note that half of the additional bed spaces being funded will go to homeless shelters that are situated outside of the Cape Town Metropolitan areas, to assist those homeless citizens who require accommodation and psycho-social support and are residing in rural areas.
"The MEC stressed that there were several factors behind why people became homeless and remained homeless, including unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse, and poverty.
According to the department, the provision of the 1 000 bed spaces for the 2021/2022 financial year was "over and above" the 1499 bed spaces which the department currently funds across 27 shelters.
Speaking to News 24, OWL Haven Shelter manager and social worker Phoccia Titus said that, even though the provincial government was adding additional beds to the shelter, they could not accommodate more than 80 beds due to space limitations.
According to Titus, the department would be providing the shelter with an increased subsidy to purchase the beds.
She added that the shelter currently had 80 beds, accommodating 12 females and 68 males.
"We still have no idea how many beds government will be providing us. In winter, there is a high demand for beds and the shelter... and many homeless people looking for a place to sleep and food too eat," she said.
Titus added that the shelter had been plagued by incidents of vandalism, with even those who lived at the shelter taking part in acts of vandalism.
"We need money to pay our utility bills, cover infrastructure expenses and fix what needs fixing. We have applied for financial assistance, but we are still awaiting a response."
While the department is focused on increasing bed spaces, homeless shelters are still faced with other issues that affect their ability to operate efficiently.
Titus said that they were always looking for volunteers to assist at the shelter, and that food and clothing donations were also always welcomed. and the shelter is also desperately in need of a stove.
“We urgently need financial assistance even a R50 or R100 will be welcomed, because every bit helps and it will at least help to keep our lights on,” Titus added.
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