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And What About The Homeless?

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NMB must increase venues for homeless shelters during Covid-19 pandemic

Dear MyPE

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape has written to Nelson Mandela Bay’s Acting City Manager, Noxolo Nqwazi, to urgently increase the venues for homeless shelters and explain the process followed to decide on current venues.

The DA is determined to do all we can to ensure the safety of our residents at this time of national crisis.

I have also asked the DA Shadow MEC for Social Development, Edmund van Vuuren, MPL, to take this matter up with the Provincial Department of Social Development.

At 00:00 on the 26th of March South Africa went into a 21-day Lockdown in response to the global Coronavirus pandemic, with measures including the provision of temporary shelter for the city’s homeless.

The Municipality identified Walmer Town Hall, Daku Hall (KwaZakhele), NU2 Motherwell and Babs Madlakane Hall (KwanoBuhle) as the venues where homeless people will be moved to. Hoza Hall in New Brighton will also be used if needed.

However, the bulk of the unfortunate citizens living on the streets of the Bay are centred in the Port Elizabeth CBD, the Northern Areas, and the Uitenhage CBD, but no shelters are being set-up in these areas.

Many of these homeless individuals ran away from areas such as KwaZakhele, Motherwell, KwanoBuhle and New Brighton, but will now be forced to go back there just to find a place to survive while the dreaded Covid-19 disease sweeps through our Metro, province and country.

MPL Van Vuuren has spoken to the MEC for Social Development, Ms Siphokazi Mani-Lusithi, late last night and an agreement has been reached that a shelter for the homeless should be established in the Northern Areas.

MPL Van Vuuren will also be meeting with senior officials from both SASSA and Social Development today with the focus on securing the Jarman Hall as a site that can serve as a shelter for homeless people in the Northern Areas.

By not providing shelters in areas where these people have chosen to stay, the very real prospect exists they will leave their designated shelters and go back to living on the streets. If they do, they will go hungry and will be at high risk of infection and spreading the disease to others.

The lack of shelter, access to proper hygiene, and food makes homeless people an extremely vulnerable group during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the DA will do all it can to alleviate their suffering.

Regards

Nqaba Bhanga
DA EC Provincial Leader

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Port Elizabethan

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