Social Development
Question by:
Hon Brett Herron
Answered by:
Hon Sharna Fernandez
Question Number:
4
Question Body:
In a media statement issued by her Department on 10 October 2017 it was reported that there were 1 391 bed spaces in shelters available for homeless people although it was estimated then that 4 862 people were homeless. According to the information on her Department’s website in 2019, the number of bed spaces in shelters has increased to 1 401. If the number of homeless people did not increase from 2017, there must be a deficit of thousands of bed spaces in shelters. However, the City of Cape Town has contradicted the Department’s information when it stated in the Sunday Times of 7 July 2019 that there were definitely enough beds and shelters for the city’s homeless people. In the light of the information above:
- whether 3 500 bed spaces in shelters have been created in the intervening 20 months; if so, what are the relevant details;
- whether there are fewer bed spaces in shelters than the number of homeless people in the city; if so, what immediate relief measures is her Department taking to assist homeless people;
- whether her Department has a plan to assist the thousands of homeless people who are to be fined by the City for contravening the City of Cape Town’s By-law Relating to Streets, Public Places and the Prevention of Noise Nuisances, 2007; if so, what are the relevant details?
Answer Body:
1.
- In 2017/18 the Department of Social Development’s Annual Report the Department reported 1401 bed spaces instead of 1391.
- In 2018/19 the Department of Social Development’s Annual Report the Department reported 1485 bed spaces instead of 1401.
- In 2019/2020 the Department is funding 27 Shelters for homes adults in and funding 1499 bed spaces with a total budget of R18 547 320.00.
- There are a few shelters that the Department don’t fund and their bed spaces are not included. The department only reports the funded bed spaces in the Annual Report. These are shelters who have not applied for funding and or indicated they prefer not to be funded by government.
2.
- The City of Cape Town reported that there are not enough shelter bed spaces, hence the establishment of the City’s first transitional safe space for street people which can accommodate up to 230 people.
- The Department has also been calling for proposals for shelters to apply for funding and have been increasing the number of bed spaces and the amount of money allocated to shelters for homeless adults.
- In collaboration with the Shelters for homeless adults the Department has developed Norms and Standards for shelters.
- The Department has allocated 22 Social Workers, 3 Social Auxiliary Workers and 1 Social Supervisor to currently funded Shelters.
- Psychosocial services are available for support and reunifying homeless adults with their families.
3.
- Department of Social Development does not have a legal mandate to interfere or intervene in municipal bylaws and it is recommended that the Local Authority be approached to provide further details.
Date:
Friday, July 19, 2019
Supporting Docs:
