- The Haven Night Shelter, in partnership with the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID), has added 70 new bed spaces at the Moira Henderson House in Woodstock, doubling its capacity to 140 clients.
- This expansion is part of their winter readiness program to address the growing need for shelter among the homeless population.
- The shelter focuses on empowering clients through various programs and aims to expand further in other locations.
Winter is here and so is the chilly and wet weather. As a result, thousands of people living on the street are seeking shelter. With the influx of people seeking refuge, shelters simply do not have enough bed spaces.
In response to this need, on Friday 21 June the Haven Night Shelter in partnership with the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID) unveiled 70 additional bed spaces at the Haven Night Shelter Moira Henderson House in Woodstock.
The facility, a second phase shelter, can now accommodate 140 clients.
A second phase shelter is aimed at people who are working and, in a position, to function independently.
Shadrick Valayadum, Chief Executive Officer of The Haven Night Shelter Western Cape, said this forms part of their winter readiness programme.
“Homelessness is a big problem. This was a great partnership, and we are grateful to the CCID. We can achieve so much if we work together.”
Empower
He said at the shelter their focus is to empower people.
said Valaydum.
He continued that they are also hoping to expand their other shelters in Wynberg, Retreat, and Kensington.
“Come to our shelters and do a screening. If that shelter cannot accommodate you then we will move you to another shelter where there is space. We make sure that they have beds, toiletries, clothes and a warm meal.”
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Tara Gerardy-Bissolati, social development manager of the CCID, said: “It’s exciting that we could double our space here and for the CCID to invest in more bed spaces for us to place clients.”
She explained that the extra clients will move into the facility soon.
“CCID will assess the clients and take them to the Moira Henderson, there they will go through further assessment and then they will be placed. Social support will be provided by the shelter and by CCID. We do regular follow-ups on the clients that we place.
“The collaboration with the Haven has been incredible it’s a pleasure working with the team and we are looking forward to new initiatives going forward.”
Owethu Vuba lived on the street for 9 years. He was approached by a CCID fieldworker last year. He is now a member of the CCID’s peer-led programme which consist of people with lived experiences of substance use and living on the street. Vuba explained that moving into the shelter changed his life. He has since managed to find employment and has been reunited with his family.
More programmes
Koubi Mathese also lived on the street for a few years.
“I came from a broken home. When I lived on the street I didn’t know about shelters and social services. I met someone who told me about a shelter. So, I went to Youth Solutions in Salt River.”
He added that programmes offered at shelters give people a second chance in life.
Ian McMahon, Ward 115 councillor, welcomed the additional bed spaces.
“We have got to get more people off the streets. The City is opening its 300-bed Safe Space in Green Point next month, so the timing is key. We have to make sure that we protect our public open spaces and parks but at the same time provide extra facilities and get people off the streets.”
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Last week the Western Cape High granted an eviction order for people who are illegally occupying various sites in the Cape Town CBD. They have until Tuesday 30 July to find alternative accommodation after which they will be evicted.
The order relates to various unlawful occupation hotspots along Buitengracht Street, FW De Klerk Boulevard, Foregate Square, taxi rank and Foreshore, Helen Suzman Boulevard, Strand Street, Foreshore/N1, Virginia Avenue and Mill Street Bridge in the city.
The order includes a standing interdict against any further unlawful occupation of these areas and further City-owned public spaces by respondents identified in the application. The City said it has made repeated offers of social assistance to those affected including offers of dignified transitional shelter at NGO-run night shelters and City-run Safe Spaces.
