cape town response
In Cape Town there are at least 6000 homeless people on the street.
The City has identified three sites as temporary shelter, two of which have been activated, namely Culemborg (set up on 29 March for 280 people) and Strandfontein (opened on 3 April for 2000 people but subsequently reduced to 1500). A third site for 150 people was identified in Belville - Paint City - but has not opened yet.
The Strandfontein site has become very controversial (see the section on Strandfontein below).
A group of NGO service providers working on homelessness in the City (12 organisations) have come together in a group and are having regular sector coordination calls. They have put together a strategy with five pillars:
1. Fill up existing shelter
2. Set up macro accommodation sites (150+)
3. Set up micro accommodation sites (less than 150 people, but generally less than 50 people)
4. Existing service centres encouraged and capacitated to provide food where accommodation sites are not available
5. Isolated on the streets – for those far away from service centres or accommodation sites
The following progress has been made on each of the five pillars (as of Sunday 19 April 2020):
1. Existing shelters with spaces for approximately 2500 people. These were almost full before lockdown and filled up incredibly quickly.
2. The three sites as identified above - Culemborg, Strandfontein and Paint City (Belville)
3. Micro accommodation sites – not started yet, the sector are preparing for this
4. Existing service centres – volunteers raised to keep the sites open and allow scale-up of food provision. Provide food to approximately 1500 people per day now (was nearer 3000 per day before Strandfontein opened). Increased provision from 5 to 7 days per week.
5. Isolated on the streets – takeaway meals made and delivered by NGO partners to those not close to any existing service centres. Between 500-1000 meals provided per day.
See also information about homeless responses such as service centres at http://homeless.org.za/lockdown
The City has identified three sites as temporary shelter, two of which have been activated, namely Culemborg (set up on 29 March for 280 people) and Strandfontein (opened on 3 April for 2000 people but subsequently reduced to 1500). A third site for 150 people was identified in Belville - Paint City - but has not opened yet.
The Strandfontein site has become very controversial (see the section on Strandfontein below).
A group of NGO service providers working on homelessness in the City (12 organisations) have come together in a group and are having regular sector coordination calls. They have put together a strategy with five pillars:
1. Fill up existing shelter
2. Set up macro accommodation sites (150+)
3. Set up micro accommodation sites (less than 150 people, but generally less than 50 people)
4. Existing service centres encouraged and capacitated to provide food where accommodation sites are not available
5. Isolated on the streets – for those far away from service centres or accommodation sites
The following progress has been made on each of the five pillars (as of Sunday 19 April 2020):
1. Existing shelters with spaces for approximately 2500 people. These were almost full before lockdown and filled up incredibly quickly.
2. The three sites as identified above - Culemborg, Strandfontein and Paint City (Belville)
3. Micro accommodation sites – not started yet, the sector are preparing for this
4. Existing service centres – volunteers raised to keep the sites open and allow scale-up of food provision. Provide food to approximately 1500 people per day now (was nearer 3000 per day before Strandfontein opened). Increased provision from 5 to 7 days per week.
5. Isolated on the streets – takeaway meals made and delivered by NGO partners to those not close to any existing service centres. Between 500-1000 meals provided per day.
See also information about homeless responses such as service centres at http://homeless.org.za/lockdown