The Tshwane metro has found a new building to use as a shelter for the homeless in the Pretoria CBD.
“We have already started obtaining professional services needed for the design and upgrading of the building, which is an empty warehouse in Arcadia,” community and social development services MMC Sakkie du Plooy.
It was expected that the new facility would house about 200 men, women and children.
Du Plooy estimated the shelter would be up and running in about six months’ time.
This follows a meeting between the metro’s social development department and the Tshwane Homelessness Forum NGO.
The meeting discussed the needs of the homeless and which services should be provided for in the planned shelter.
“However, we need to follow proper financial and procurement procedures to plan and upgrade the building before it will be ready for use by homeless people in the city,” said Du Plooy.
He said the metro was also on the verge of regaining control over the Struben Street homeless shelter, which has been effectively hijacked by residents.
“This will happen once we have secured the services of a reliable NGO to take over control of that shelter.”
Du Plooy said the city had already identified such an NGO and that the NGO had provided financial details for the services they would deliver.
“We still need to sign an agreement with them to put new management in place and take full control of the shelter. Then we will be able to normalise services in the shelter and make more room available for homeless people currently out on the streets.”
Head of security at the Struben shelter, Danial Sipiripiri, said there were a lot of criminality at the shelter..
“A lot of people at the shelter are from prison and they still have a prison mentality,” he said.
The shelter also needed major renovations, he said.
“We have rooms that have been burnt, stoves that are not working, buildings with no electricity, overcrowding, damaged doors and windows, leaking roofs, blocked drains, non-working showers and so much more.
News of the new shelter comes after the metro intensified its search for ways to protect the homeless as fears grew of a serial killer being on the loose in the Muckleneuk area.
Du Plooy said the planned centres will provide temporary housing with basic facilities, including helping residents find proper employment.
“R5-million has been set aside to upgrade present shelters and the development of more shelters for the homeless,” said Du Plooy.
“While a lot still needs to be done, the metro has made significant strides on various initiatives that are aimed at improving the situation.”
One such instance is the so-called homeless policy, which was in the final stage of approval.
“It was drafted after intensive public participation with organisations such as the Tshwane Homeless Forum,” said Du Plooy.
He pleaded with other government departments and the private sector to help the homeless by providing jobs, accommodation and food.
