Help for vulnerable tenants

SOCIO-economic challenges are daily hurdles for many Cape Town residents who struggle with social cohesion, economic mobility and vulnerability.

Unless these issues are addressed, the city’s residential areas and communities will never be transformed.

“(After all) social housing is not just about building houses. It is about transforming our residential areas and building better communities,” says Anthea Houston, chief executive of Communicare, which provides social rentals in Cape Town and renders support to tenants through the provision of support programmes.

One of these provisions is through the Vulamathuba Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded by Communicare. According to Houston, the foundation aims to create an enabling environment to support healthy tenant relationships and the economic mobility of tenants.

“Through the Vulamathuba Foundation, Communicare continues to commit itself to helping to build communities that are caring, resilient and self-reliant,” Houston says, explaining that Vulamathuba has three programmes focused on social cohesion, economic mobility and supporting vulnerable tenants.

Nontombi Jubeju, foundation manager at Vulamathuba, says: “The programme promotes social cohesion so our multigenerational and multi-racial tenants can live together harmoniously. Various cultural and skills development activities drive this programme, which has already had success in complexes such as Musgrave Park in Diep River.”

The programme includes screening for rental concessions or housing benefits to provide relief to Sassa pensioners or vulnerable tenants who have experienced financial setbacks.