Mi-Change Launches R15 Cashless Vouchers for Homeless People in Johannesburg

• Mi-Change brings its cashless digital voucher system to Johannesburg, offering residents a direct, transparent, and safer way to support individuals living on the streets
• Purchased for R15 via SnapScan, each voucher provides access to essential services, including a hot meal, a shower, clothing, or a safe place to sleep
• Supported by the City of Johannesburg and funded by an R8.2 million grant from the Citi Foundation, the project addresses the root causes of homelessness through holistic social integration

Johannesburg has officially joined the Mi-Change movement with the launch of its cashless voucher system aimed at transforming how the city responds to homelessness. Announced at the MES BG Centre in Hillbrow on 13 October, the initiative replaces cash handouts with digital vouchers that directly connect vulnerable individuals to essential care and long-term support pathways.

The system addresses a critical safety and social issue: carrying physical cash on the streets leaves homeless individuals vulnerable to theft and exploitation, while cash handouts can unintentionally perpetuate substance dependency. By utilising SnapScan—a widely known mobile payment platform—donors can scan a QR code on a registered participant’s lanyard to purchase an R15 voucher in seconds.

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How the voucher system works

Each R15 voucher is redeemable across a network of service points in the metro, including U-turn Homeless Ministries service centres and MES Centres of Hope.

• Immediate relief: Vouchers can be redeemed for immediate essential needs: a nutritious meal, access to shower facilities, clean clothing, or a safe night's shelter.
• Long-term support: Beyond basic relief, redeeming a voucher enters individuals into structured social programs. These offer social work support, family reunification services, addiction rehabilitation, and skills development.
• Ease for donors: Donors avoid carrying cash while ensuring 100% of their contribution goes directly toward essential services and rehabilitation pathways.

Broad support and proven impact

The initiative is backed by a $500,000 (R8.2 million) grant from the Citi Foundation through its global $25-million (R414,363,750) Global Innovation Challenge, which supports community-led solutions to homelessness worldwide.

The system brings proven success from Cape Town, where more than 12,000 vouchers were redeemed in the first three months alone, generating over R73,000 in direct donations. With the Johannesburg launch, staff and participant training is already expanding into Pretoria to build a regional footprint across Gauteng.

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Martin Lebea, Executive Head of Social Development at the City of Johannesburg, endorsed the initiative as a major step forward for municipal social priorities.

"This initiative is aimed at making sure that whenever one wants to assist someone who is homeless, the assistance is going to go towards something that is going to be very valuable and helpful," Lebea stated, emphasizing that compassionate giving should be paired with responsible, structured support.

A pathway off the street

While the initiative relies on modern technology, its primary purpose is opening a sustainable doorway off the street. Briefly News spoke with Mi-Change administrator Dylon Jordaan about his experience receiving a voucher while living on the street. Jordaan shared:

"I felt that there is hope, there is a way up, because I felt stuck in my addiction. After that day, I went to the service centres every day. Eventually, I went to rehab for 10 months and got onto the Work Readiness programme. I did a coding learnership, reached the integration stage, and Carmen offered me an administrative internship at Mi-Change in August 2025."

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When asked what he wished Joburgers understood about people living on the street, Jordaan shared a touching response:

"I wish people would see homeless people not as beggars or a nuisance, but as people who actually have a future... I encourage Joburgers to give responsibly—not just giving food or clothes, but giving a pathway out of homelessness."

To learn more about how to support the initiative or find QR codes, visit michange.org.

More on homelessness and vulnerable South Africans

• Briefly News recently reported that a street dweller amused South Africans after asking for R5 for an unusual reason, with viewers saying his creativity deserved a tip.
• A Durban man who spent years living on the streets is set to reunite with his family after a social media appeal helped locate one of his relatives.
• A KwaZulu-Natal security guard appealed to South Africans for help after finding a homeless family with a baby living on the streets near Margate.

Source: Briefly News