Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis announces funding for a new shelter in Muizenberg to support the homeless community. Picture: Phando Jikelo / Independent Newspapers
As Cape Town prepares to open its latest Safe Space shelter in Muizenberg, a beacon of hope has emerged for the city’s homeless community.
In a recent announcement, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has confirmed that the City will allocate R4 million from the Mayoral Fund towards establishing the facility, with a private donor pledging a matching amount.
The Muizenberg Safe Space aims to provide dignified transitional shelter and comprehensive social interventions to support homeless individuals in moving away from the streets.
Operated by U-Turn, a respected non-profit organisation experienced in similar programmes across the city, the shelter is set to operate initially for three years with the allocated funds.
Negotiations are under way for the lease of a suitable municipal site, with plans for public participation and necessary planning approvals in the pipeline.
Once operational, the safe space will offer a range of services including personal development planning, access to employment opportunities, and referrals for mental health, medical, and substance abuse treatments.
The Muizenberg Safe Space joins five existing facilities located in the CBD, Bellville, and Durbanville areas, contributing to a city-wide network that provides dignified shelter, meals, access to social workers, skills training, and family reunification services.
“We are pleased to donate R4m from the Mayoral Fund towards a Muizenberg safe space, which will mark the sixth dignified transitional shelter facility opened by the City,” said Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.
The imminent opening of a new 300-bed safe space in Green Point will bring the total number of beds to 1 070 across five facilities in the CBD, Bellville, and Durbanville areas, Major Hill-Lewis said.
Mayor Hill-Lewis said, “Accepting social assistance to get off the streets is the best choice for dignity, health, and well-being. No person has the right to reserve a public space as exclusively theirs, while indefinitely refusing all offers of shelter and social assistance.”
Councillor Patricia van der Ross, mayoral committee member for Community Services and Health, has said the City already assists about 3 500 people annually with shelter placement or referrals to a variety of social services.
“We are excited to extend these services to help even more people transition off the streets in the broader Muizenberg area, in collaboration with the community and civil society,” Van der Ross said.
The City’s safe space model is comprehensive, “offering dignified shelter, comfort and ablutions, two meals per day, on-site access to a social worker, personal development planning, various social services including ID Book and social grant assistance, family reunification services, access to substance and alcohol abuse treatment, skills training, job search assistance, and access to EPWP work placement,” said the City of Cape Town.
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