Homeless treated to dinner
RENEWED steps towards social integration in District Six were taken at the weekend when about 100 homeless people were hosted at an Iftar dinner by a number of community organisations working in the area.
Muslims, Christians, civil society and the homeless dined and prayed together and held open dialogue at the Holy Cross Convent on what was the 25th day of Ramadaan on Saturday.
The dinner was hosted by the District Six Working Committee (D6WC), Sanzaf, Otto Foundation, Holy Cross Convent, and other community organisations.
“Starting with District Six, let’s all work together towards developing a non-homeless nation,” said Shahied Ajam, chairperson of the D6WC.
“It is the inner self that we need to examine. Why am I here today and how did I land up here?”
“We must not be afraid to confront those questions. Only when we know where we come from, will we know where we are moving to. Being homeless today is a worldwide phenomenon, it’s not just District Six. It’s everywhere. Somewhere something went wrong. We need to examine that. We need you to know that we regard you as equals and that we are committed to helping you.”
Ajam said it was important to empower the homeless of District Six to restore their dignity.
One of the homeless, transgender sex workers who lived under the bridge in Russel Street worked as a cleaner in the D6WC offices.
Karen Breytenbach, project director of the Otto Foundation which works to uplift schools in District Six said: “Many organisations are working to restore dignity, pride and a cohesive community in District Six, but there is a deep inequality between the residents and homeless of District Six, and a rising sense of mistrust – mainly due to rising petty crime in the area – that we need to address.”
Breytenbach appealed to the homeless, on behalf of the schools and residents, to be their eyes and ears when it came to crime and fires, and to work towards regained trust.
“If you know what we’re trying to achieve, and we know what you’re trying to achieve, we can support each other,” she said.
Several members of the homeless community told their stories and spoke about their struggles and vulnerabilities.
“I grew up in a good home and I didn’t leave the house because of stealing or substance abuse, I left because of my gender identity. I’ve been on the streets for 15 years and I take good care of myself,” said Wabzu Sampson, a transgender woman who lives under the Russel Street bridge.
Paul Rossouw, principal of Holy Cross RC Primary, told the diners that he viewed them as “part of the soil” and that he would personally do what he could to change teachers’ attitudes to accept them as people deserving of dignity. He invited the homeless to come to the school when they needed assistance – whether it was for a phone call or photocopy – and to do their part in protecting the school from vandalism.