Cape Town Opens New 300-Bed Safe Space Shelter for the Homeless

• On Monday, 29 July 2024, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis opened a new shelter to help more homeless off the streets of central Cape Town
• This is one of five Safe Spaces for homeless people funded by the City and is situated at the municipal depot on Ebenezer Road, Green Point
• 300 beds are available while meals and training programmes are provided on-site at the Safe Space facility

CAPE TOWN– The City of Cape Town has opened a new shelter for homeless people that houses 300 beds.

According to IOL, on 18 June, the Western Cape Division of the High Court mandated the eviction of more than 100 homeless individuals. These people occupied public spaces across seven of Cape Town's inner city locations. The court also required that alternative accommodation be provided at one of the City of Cape Town’s shelters, specifically Safe Space 1 in Culemborg.

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The opening of the shelter

Councillor Patricia van der Ross joined Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis in opening the facility and the mayor had this to say during his speech:

"It's a joy to open this brand new Safe Space in Green Point, which will make a huge difference to the overall shelter capacity to help more people off the streets in central Cape Town.

"Cape Town is making an unprecedented investment of R220 million to expand and operate our Safe Space shelters around the city. In this way, we are putting caring, social developmental approaches at the centre of our strategy to help more homeless people off the streets, and to ensure that public places are open and available to all."

The experience of a once-homeless man

Showen Loeks spoke at the facility's opening, sharing his homeless experience. Showen is a skilled technician who was previously living in Witbank but had stopped working due to the death of his wife. He became homeless but lived in a city Safe Space from October 2023 until April. Through access to services, hot food and skills training programmes, he got back on his feet and moved into an apartment. He urges us not to judge the people living on the street before we know their story.

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Homeless woman from Gugulethu battered by Cape Town storm

In a related article, Briefly News reported that a homeless mother of three has been living on the streets of Cape Town for 15 years.

This winter has been particularly harsh for her due to the relentless storms. She has resorted to layering herself in plastic bags to protect herself from the severe weather.

Source: Briefly News