‘COVID-19 exposed government’s failure to plan for homeless’

The Department of Social Development in the Free State says COVID-19 has exposed that government does not have a plan for people sleeping on streets.

The department is holding a program for people living and working in the streets in Bloemfontein. It says homelessness is a societal issue influenced by a wider range of factors.

Acting Head of the department, Tumelo Phahlo says the government cannot afford to ignore and hope the problem of homeless people will go away.

Phahlo says the benefits of freedom should also benefit the homeless.

“And we brought them here today to come and try and entertain them but at the heart of it all, it’s not about entertainment. We are going to give them clothes, because even if you sleep on the streets, you are supposed to have clothes. We are going to give the shoes, mattresses blankets. It does not mean that when you live on the streets you should not have blankets. You should have all the essentials, but most importantly, we brought them here to provide (for) them because people on the streets are not homogeneous.”

Joburg homeless shelters battle to keep up with demand as the cold weather conditions continue: