‘Don’t give money, give them love’
They say you only truly understand someone when you walk in their shoes, and that's exactly what Msunduzi Ward 27 councillor Dante Kemp did recently when he spent some quality time on the streets of Pietermaritzburg visiting the homeless in his ward, which covers the CBD.
"Where they are not seen is where they live," said Kemp, describing the 'invisible' members of his ward.
The DA councillor, noting the mixed views and responses to the growing concern of the influx of homeless people and beggars in the city, last week took to the streets to engage with the homeless and explore the issue from all angles.
"Tonight I should have been at home with my family, enjoying a hot meal, assisting with my daughter’s homework, and going about my daily activities. Instead, I went out into the cold winter streets with a group of individuals from an organisation called Life Boat, to provide food and fellowship to the homeless.
"I saw my shame, as an individual, I saw our shame as a city, and I saw our failure as a nation in their eyes," Kemp reflected on his experience getting to know the members of his ward who so easily slip through the cracks of representation.
Kemp met with members of Life
Boat, a local organisation working with the city's homeless to uplift and restore the dignity of the homeless community through an extensive rehabilitation programme.
"The motivation behind engaging with the homeless community is the various issues being experienced by residents, as there has been an influx of homelessness in the city. [We are trying to] address it from all angles, from the residents, the vagrants and government institutions. This provides a road map to how one can address all aspects of the issues experienced by all involved.
"Currently there is no established shelter in Pietermaritzburg. The organisations I’m engaged with assist in the process of rehabilitation and care," explained Kemp.
From his time engaging with the homeless community, he found many factors contributing to homelessness. One glaring reality was that the majority of the homeless were not from broken homes, but children and youth who grew up in state institutions and orphanages, but had nowhere to go once they turned 18 and exited the system.
"We, as a state, have failed them. How do you introduce them into society if they’ve never been assimilated into being a productive member of society?" questioned Kemp. He added that he found the increased number of females and small children living on the streets disturbing.
He recalls one encounter he will not forget, where a couple on the streets attempted to make their surroundings homely, while trying hard to keep warm.
"The reactions and responses to us from the homelessness was a gesture of gratitude and kindness. They saw that we were there to engage with them in their environment. As much as it was unsavoury and reeked of faeces and urine, they appreciated us being there," said Kemp.
Echoing the recent call from the business community to not give the beggars money, Kemp said he supported this call, but instead, 'why not give them love?'
"I'd like to see a mindset change towards how we see the outcasts of our city. I encourage you to join me in helping. We can't do it alone, but collectively, we can. There is always a community that still believes in humanity, be that community."
At a later stage, Kemp is planning to spend a night on the streets with the homeless to truly experience their lived reality. He appealed to anyone who is willing to donate beneficial items such as old clothes, shoes, bags, blankets, candles, sanitary pads and soap, to contact him on 081 788 2528.