Counting the people who sleep on the streets of Mamelodi
Volunteers help the City of Tshwane gather data on homelessness
On the weeked, about 70 volunteers went onto the streets of Tshwane to count and interview people living on the city’s streets and in homeless shelters. Photos: Warren Mabona
About 70 volunteers braved the cold and rainy weather over the weekend to count people living on the streets of Tshwane.
Volunteers and members of the policing forum in Mamelodi went from street-to-street from about 6pm until 2am, interviewing and counting people sleeping rough. All participants were given a warm meal, vegetables and snacks.
The municipality ran the initiative with University of Pretoria Unit for Street Homelessness, Tshwane Homeless Forum, Thandanani Drop Inn Centre and other civil society groups.
Nokuthula Madonsela was one of the first to be counted. She was sleeping in a yard in Mabheshane section with several people. She said she dropped out of school in grade 11 and left her home in Buffer Zone after a family dispute five years ago. She had been living with her uncle. Her mother died when she was very young, she said.
Now 28, Madonsela survives on the R370 social relief of distress grant and says she would like to learn knitting to help her find work.
Volunteers also visited ten shelters across Tshwane.
At Mamelodi Hostel, Thapelo Setlhapelo, 29, said he has been homeless for over three years. “I want to stop using drugs and live a clean life,” he said.
“I feel sorry for all the people I counted,” said volunteer Bashimane Leshaba. “I wish there is something more I can do to help them.”
Project coordinator at Thandanani Drop Inn Centre, Kate Kekana, said knowing how many people are homeless helps civil society organisations apply for adequate government funding.
She said they may need to partly repeat the count as the rain had forced some people to move from their usual places. The final numbers and details of the count will be shared at a later stage.
Mayco member for community and social development Palesa Modise said the count aims to gather accurate and up-to-date information to guide municipal planning and policy.
“Since its introduction in 2022, the Homeless Count has become an important tool in strengthening the City’s understanding of homelessness and the social dynamics that contribute to it,” she said.
Volunteer Khutjo Apahane interviews a homeless man at a shelter in Mamelodi West.
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