Durban — Homeless people in eThekwini have demanded recognition and access to government services like grants.
More than 300 homeless people from around Durban gathered at Denis Hurley Centre on Thursday to listen to what plans political parties have for them.
The “Town Hall” debate was organised by Denis Hurley Centre director Raymond Perrier, who is also the head of the National Homeless Network, a non-profit organisation fighting for the rights of homeless people.
Speaking on behalf of the homeless people, Perrier lambasted all parties for not even having a line that talks about homeless people in their manifestos. He said homeless people needed simple things like identity documents so that they, like any South Africans, could access government services like grants.
“Homeless people have been degraded and treated like non-human beings because they are homeless. We have been pleading for assistance to get IDs but that has not happened. Their dignity has been taken away,” said Perrier.
He said there were 6000 homeless people around Durban and most of them would participate in the coming elections. However, some could not vote because they did not have IDs. Some of the homeless lost their documents during raids by police.
Perrier also expressed his centre’s disappointment at the parties who did not show up for the debate although they were invited.
The ANC shunned the event, while MKP members left early.
He said the parties that stayed and listened to the concerns of the homeless were the DA, the EFF and the IFP. He commended them for honouring the invitation, saying the homeless people felt honoured by their actions.
Perrier said by accessing government services like grants, many homeless people would find their shelter and change their livelihoods.
“Sometimes you see a disabled man at the robot begging for food. You ask yourself why he was begging when he could access disability grants, only to find that he has no ID or he lost it. Assisting them to get IDs is another way of addressing homelessness since they would then be able to access government grants,” said Perrier.
Noluthando Mchunu, an IFP eThekwini councillor, denied that their manifesto said nothing about homeless people. She said the IFP included them when it said it would address the issue of illegal foreigners.
She added many homeless people were drug addicts who ran away from home because they had been fed drugs by illegal foreigners who also took their business opportunities in the townships.
Mmabatho Tembe, a DA representative, said the party felt privileged to be invited to listen to the plight of the homeless people as it had visited them in a shelter last month. She said the party would establish a national task team to work with non-profit organisations to deal with homelessness.
Last month the DA visited the government-owned marquee that sheltered homeless people in Durban and listened to complaints about neglect by the authorities. The party promised to take the concerns to the government.
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