Plans are afoot to tackle the issue of homelessness across the Garden Route with a mix of experts, community leaders, politicians and nonprofit organisations coming together to develop a co-ordinated strategy.
Christian Rehabilitation Ministries to the Homeless in George (CREMHOG) recently hosted a meeting in George to address concerns about homelessness on the Garden Route.
Dozens of people attended, with the aim to develop a strategy to help the growing number of homeless people in the area.
The event’s convenor, Andre Olivier, said the meeting highlighted three urgent needs — a dedicated drug rehabilitation centre, affordable residential care for low-income elderly people and safe overnight spaces where homeless people could sleep.
“The George community has come together to have a conversation about residents’ growing concerns,” he said.
“The discussions produced valuable information and practical ideas that now need to be translated into action.”
Experts from the University of Pretoria, U-turn in Cape Town and CREMHOG led the event.
Olivier said they had supported the homeless community in George for 15 years, distributing 100 meals a day, six days a week.
He said with hundreds of homeless individuals in George, collaboration was essential to develop effective solutions including greater engagement from key stakeholders, including local government, the SAPS, businesses, churches, NGOs and the social development department.
George municipal spokesperson Chantel Edwards said the municipality supported continued collaboration with all stakeholders to identify sustainable, long-term solutions that balanced humanitarian support with the needs of the broader community.
She said there were an estimated 300 homeless people in George, with the George Night Shelter also operating under significant demand.
“Homelessness is a complex social challenge that cannot be addressed by the government or any single organisation alone.
“It requires a co-ordinated response involving the government, nonprofit organisations, the private sector and the wider community.
“The municipality has allocated land to CREMHOG to support its rehabilitation and reintegration programme for a maximum of 42 individuals, as outlined in its business plan.
“While CREMHOG plays an important role in assisting vulnerable individuals, its primary focus is on rehabilitation and reintegration rather than providing large-scale shelter.”
Edwards said the municipality assisted the homeless through several structured initiatives and key stakeholder partnerships with the People Living On The Streets (PLOTS) forum.
This included partnering with organisations such as the George Night Shelter (shelter and accommodation), SAHARA (substance abuse support groups), the social development department (reunification and shelter placements), Stop Trafficking of People (trauma support) and Kidstop (parental training for parents on the streets).
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