Give homeless jobs

OFFICIALS in cities across the US are putting homeless people back on the street – this time to pay them to pick up trash as part of a new programme.

The homeless people, who are staying in tent shelters, will be clearing up trash and clearing brush for five hours a day, three days a week.

The programme, called Alpha Project’s “Wheels of Change”, will pay $11.50 an hour. They are expected to hold cleaning shifts three days a week.

This is all about creating more opportunities for the homeless to lift themselves out of extreme poverty.

It will help restore dignity and selfworth by allowing people to earn money and begin to get back on their feet.

For many, this may be just the chance to turn their lives around.

This programme could be implemented here as well. Please don’t tell me there is no money. Instead of giving high salary earners a bonus of a 13th cheque, put that money in a special fund for this kind of project.

Instead of paying Jacob Zuma’s legal fees, that money could be used for this project. The president talks about cutting crime and poverty, but if people have no income, they resort to crime to live.

With this kind of project the crime rate will decrease; people will be earning in a legal way. The prison population will eventually decrease – it is known that in jail people learn to be better criminals for when they get out.

Naturally, some just don’t want to work, but that percentage is less than those who’d like to work. Along our streets, many people are sitting on the kerbside begging for work.

Give them a chance. Employ people according to merit and ability to do a good job, rather than skin colour.

This way, you know the job will be done well.