DA intervenes to ensure that homeless people have adequate shelters in Gauteng

9 November 2022

Homeless people in Gauteng continue to suffer due to the shortage of homeless shelters in the province, yet there are abandoned donated buildings.

The Gauteng Department of Social Development (DSD) has succumbed to the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) pressure to engage the Department of Public Works to clear the usage of donated buildings to be used as shelters for homeless people.

The Department of Public Works donated six buildings to DSD to be used as shelters for homeless people and victims of Gender Based Violence (GBV). However, miscommunication and lack of clarity resulted in the DSD not utilising these buildings.

According to the department, they did not know whether the buildings were an outright donation or for lease or short team usage.

The DA’s exerted pressure pushed DSD to seek clarity from the Department of Public Works about these buildings and, they have confirmed that they will be utilising these buildings soon.

It is concerning that miscommunication and poor management between the two departments have left the homeless people and the victims of GBV without much-needed shelter.

The Department of Public Works also donated buildings to the DA-led Western Cape Department of Social Development, which they have converted into shelters. We question why Western Cape was able to get it right while Gauteng had to first seek clarity. The DA will be monitoring the process of converting these buildings into shelters to benefit the most vulnerable members of the province.

Issued by Refiloe Nt’sekhe, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Social Development, 9 November 2022