A spike in homelessness in Mbombela
MBOMBELA - The Lowveld has reportedly seen a recent and unexpected increase in the number of people living on the streets of this city and asking for money and food.
The Mpumalanga Department of Social Development (DSD) gave some insights as to why this might be. The DSD’s spokesperson, Centie Ngubane, said there are various reasons why a person might be out on the streets. “The homeless experience various challenges, and they are among the most vulnerable in the community, as they have limited access to safe and secure shelter.”
He said the Mbombela CBD is the economic hub of the city and attracts people from across and outside the province who are looking for employment.
Ngubane said homelessness can be categorised as follows:
• Economic homelessness: Where family members migrate into city spaces to find job opportunities, but are unsuccessful and end up unemployed and living on the streets.
• Situational homelessness: This includes individuals whose deprivation is derived from a family conflict, domestic violence and abuse, as well as transitions out of prison or a psychiatric hospital.
• Chronic homelessness: This is a result of severe mental health and/or drug and alcohol addiction, which are subjectively deliberating, often leading to rootlessness.
“This population experiences restricted access to nutritional food, inadequate opportunities for income generation and limited access to ablution facilities or products. They are prone to abuse of substances and being exposed to crime.”
He added, however, that as well as being vulnerable to crime, they can also be the perpetrators of crime, and that those asking for money at intersections and robots pose a risk not only to themselves, but to motorists as well.
Ngubane said there is currently no national policy guiding homeless intervention, and there are no shelters that are funded or subsidised by the government. “There are, however, NPOs or organisations that have been providing services in Mbombela: Nelspruit Community Forum and the Katoen Informal Settlement, which is based in Msholozi outside White River.”
Ngubane said the department provides support in ensuring that they are admitted to substance abuse rehabilitation centres and reintegration to their families. “The municipality is also a critical stakeholder as it is responsible for by-laws, NPOs that provide food and temporary shelter to the homeless.”
“A Special Housing Needs Policy is being developed that will look into the housing needs of people, including those who are on the streets.”
The municipality’s spokesperson, Joseph Ngala, had not responded to a media inquiry by the time of going to press.
However, members of the public took to commenting on a Lowvelder Facebook post to share their thoughts on the dangers and risks posed by some of the people who stand at intersections and traffic lights on the busy streets of Mbombela.
Gerda-Mari Fouché commented that the people at the intersections cause issues sometimes, “especially when they are drunk and swearing at you with two kids under four in the car when you do not have something to give them.
“Nelspruit needs some sort of shelter that has sponsorships to rehabilitate these people. Let them then work. I get it, some homeless refuse to work, but there would be some willing/desperate to get back on their feet,” she posted.
Juandré Rautenbach also posted that it was difficult to see people when they kneeled down at robots and that “they can be run over by a car or truck and possibly killed. They need to be removed from these intersections.”
Petro Kruger, however, posted that she had not experienced any issues with people standing at the robots.