IOL election debate
Xolani Dlamini|Published
eThekwini mayoral candidates at an IOL election debate on Wednesday offered differing proposals, including rehabilitation facilities, family reintegration, job creation and support for homeless people in Durban’s CBD.
With the November 4 local government elections fast approaching, the candidates pledged to tackle the city’s homelessness crisis, promising to make it a priority if elected into power.
Thabani Nyawose of the African National Congress (ANC), said government had already started to address the issue of homelessness in the city
"We have started a project called Siyathemba Rehabilitation Centre in Illovu. The plan is to remove all homeless people from the Durban CBD to the facility, and we are working with businesses, academics, non-profit organisations and the department of social development to ensure that they are rehabilitated and brought back to their communities," he said.
Nyawose said the plan was to equip homeless people with skills so they can find jobs and create their own businesses.
"Homeless people will be rehabilitated to improve their lives without using drugs. The project will be completed in November. Once the facility is completed, and we engage with the social development department and relevant stakeholders, we plan to remove them in Durban CBD by the beginning of next year 2027," said Nyawose.
Zwakele Mncwango of ActionSA, said the homeless needed to be treated with dignity.
"We will build a safe and dignified facility for homeless people, where they will be integrated. We will engage with homeless people one on one to find the core reasons that led them to the streets. We will work with social workers to integrate them with their families and communities," he said.
Mncwango said if elected into office, Action SA would identify skilled homeless people and assist them to find jobs since some of them are academics.
"We will have a unit dedicated to dealing with homeless people to ensure that we identify their issues and also get solutions. If we are given an opportunity to govern the city, in the next five years people will see an improvement in the city and the way we handle the issue of homeless people," he said.
Asad Gaffar of eThekwini Ratepayers Movement Party, homelessness was a huge issue in the city.
"We need to remember that homeless people are human beings and also have rights. We cannot just discard or arrest them. I do not think that establishing a rehabilitation centre far away from the city will be a solution," he said.
Gaffar said ERMP would engage with the social development department to understand the cause of homelessness.
"From there, we will find solutions to tackle the issue of homelessness in the city. We will ensure that homeless people are integrated into their communities by working with social workers and relevant structures," he said.
He assured that their plan to create more jobs in the city will also tackle crime and homelessness in the eThekwini municipality.
Alicia Kissoon of Democratic Alliance (DA), said the party had been driving the establishment of rehabilitation centres for the homeless people in the area.
"If we are voted into office, we will move all homeless people to the rehabilitation centre to ensure that they receive all the help they want before being integrated into their homes," she said.
Kissoon reiterated that homeless people need to be treated with dignity because they have rights just like everyone else.