Social Development

Question by: 
Hon Ntombezanele Bakubaku-Vos
Answered by: 
Hon Sharna Fernandez
Question Number: 
3
Question Body: 

With regard to the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) finding that gross overcrowding at the Strandfontein temporary shelter posed dangerous risks for the homeless of contracting COVID-19 and tuberculosis:

  1. (a) What is the total number of homeless people housed at the shelter and (b) how many have been relocated with their families;
  2. whether the findings have been brought to her attention; if so, how will she and her Department intervene to address the highlighted challenges;
  3. what are the reasons for not practicing social distancing at the shelter, as mattresses are less than 1,5 m apart;
  4. whether she and her Department (a) support calls for the decentralisation of the service and (b) will engage with municipalities to accommodate homeless people in various community halls and other unused municipal buildings; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
  5. whether it has been brought to her attention that the City of Cape has issued fines to homeless people; if so, how will she intervene;
  6. whether her Department has provided victim support to the homeless person raped at the Strandfontein temporary shelter; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
  7. whether measures have been put in place to prevent the reoccurrence of rape at the site; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Answer Body: 
  1. (a) The City of Cape Town indicated a total of 1495 persons on site as on 30th April 2020; (b) no reunifications were done during the lockdown as this was not possible under the regulations, but 6 Families were removed and placed in a family shelter and 9 children were placed in alternative care. Since Level 4 of the Covid 19 Risk Adjusted Strategy has been implemented, the Department of Social Development has been informed by the City that it has started reunification and reintegration processes.
  2. Yes, various NGOs working in the field of substance abuse have been on site. The Department of Social Development’s Mitchells plain Local office has also rendered social work services on site, including removal of children, and support to families at risk.
  3. The City of cape Town manages this site and would be able to provide this data.
  4. (a) Yes (b) the Department of Social Development regularly engages all municipalities in the province to provide social welfare service support, but does not have the legislative competence to prescribe what forms of accommodation municipalities are using for temporary shelters.
  5. Yes. The development, implementation and enforcement of municipal bylaws is a local government competence in terms of the Constitution. The Department of Social development does not have the legal authority to intervene in the administration of by-laws.
  6. Yes, the survivor was assessed by Heideveld TCC and then placed with a family member. Aftercare services are rendered by Rape Crisis.
  7. Specialised NGOs visit the site on a regular basis to assist when needed on any matter of GBV. The Department has been informed that the City of Cape Town and SAPS have also put in further security measures on the site.
Date: 
Thursday, April 30, 2020
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