Homeless in the city

Published May 17, 2015

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Durban -

For most of us, a good night’s sleep involves a soft pillow and a warm blanket. But the reality for the thousands of people who live on our city streets is very different.

On Friday night the Sunday Tribune slept rough alongside street dwellers and lived to tell the tale.

We, along with more than 1 000 other Durbanites, experienced first-hand the hardships the homeless endure every night: the uncomfortable cement floor that served as our bed and the chilly autumn weather had us shivering in the early hours of morning.

We also learned plenty about the homeless.

Interacting easily with the crowd, they spoke freely of the choices that had landed them on the streets.

Take, for instance, Johan and Mark, who have lived on Durban’s streets for seven and 10 months respectively.

Both are addicted to heroin, but yearn to be reunited with their families.

Survival is a daily struggle, they said, as they devoured hot dogs prepared for them.

Their day starts at 5am.

They walk from the CBD to uShaka, along the beachfront to Suncoast, to the Workshop and back to the CBD.

They repeat this route four times a day, begging at various intersections and making about R200 collectively.

A plus, they said, was that the homeless in Durban never go hungry as there are various feeding schemes in place.

Simphiwe, 23, has a genetic disorder that has stunted his growth.

He looks 12 and has a severe rash all over his body.

He removes his shirt when he begs and because of his youthful appearance earns between R700 and R1 000 a day.

He uses this to treat his friends, as well as to pay for protection on the streets as attacks are commonplace.

The evening overall was an enjoyable one.

Far from being a sorrowful experience, despite the discomfort from being exposed to the elements, Durbanites made the most of their night on the street, singing and dancing and even praying for the city together.

People from all walks of life came to support the event. My sleeping bag was next to Father Vernon Hammond from St Paul’s Church Durban and mother of four Sharm Paul from Phoenix.

We talked late into the night and there was a real sense of community as everyone shared what food they had brought and strangers huddled together for warmth.

The initiative was run by I Care, a non-profit organisation that rehabilitates street children and reunites them with their families in conjunction with the eThekwini Municipality.

Each participant had to sign up and get a sponsor sheet where 10 family and friends had to dare you R100 to spend a night on the street.

The funds raised were donated to I Care.

They encouraged participants to give street children a future by not giving them money at robots, but donating the cash to an organisation that assists the homeless.

The event ran from 5pm Friday to 5am on Saturday.

After check-in at 5pm, participants were welcomed by eThekwini Mayor James Nxumalo.

“This is a great adventure that is sure to change the way you view the homeless. Tonight you will get insight into what it is to be homeless. Homelessness is not a problem unique to Durban, but the municipality has plans to deal with this. This is a good start to show that the homeless are people who need to be treated with dignity and respect,” he said.

Paul Taylor from Kloof was preparing a simple meal of chakalaka, spaghetti and meatballs in a can over a small paraffin flame to share with his newfound friend, Vincent, who has lived on the street for years.

“I think I’ve always wanted to do this, to find out how hard it would be to survive on the street. I have just met Vincent and it’s great that we can share a meal together. I did come a bit overprepared for the evening, bringing lots of camping gear,” Taylor laughed.

The event attracted both young and old. Among the crowd was six-year-old Scott Austin, who was excited to be there. Vickie Parsonage, 77, from Hillary, also left the comfort of her home to put herself in the shoes of the less fortunate.

Sunday Tribune

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