When the Cape Argus embarked on the Dignity Project in 2016, the goal was to change the perceptions of the citizens of Cape Town towards the homeless.

"Meetings, workshops, forums for the homeless. We are never there. We never hear how others make decisions to change our way of living."

"The fact is that Cape Town is cold and cruel, and few arrive here and prosper. You interact with people you never ever dreamed of interacting with."

The winter readiness programme is starting in May. The logistics of it are intense, and many people are making sure we will be well looked after.

"It is getting dire on our streets. Job opportunities are spoken about but not much has come of it."

"I am worried about the homeless people who suffer from a medical condition but do not take any medication for it. It is becoming dire."

The Carpenters Shop, an NPO that has been helping the homeless for 38 years, has changed its name to The Hope Exchange.

"We barely get the time to go out there to enjoy the outdoors. We rush from one place to another while the tranquil beauty of the city becomes a blur."

"The loyalty and respect we once shared among us seems to have disappeared. People smile at you, but they’re busy planning how they can use you"

The president's announcement of the unbundling of Eskom has triggered unhappiness, with Cosatu holding a nationwide march against the move.

“A citizen’s right to vote in South Africa’s elections is enshrined in the Constitution, so whether or not a voter has a fixed address is immaterial”

"Your life does not depend on the permission of others - you don't need validation."

This year is going to be a year when we are going to request more involvement in issues concerning the homeless, writes Danny Oosthuizen.

In 2018, we had many changes in our own communities. I also had my own. I had a change in perception about certain people who deal with the homeless.

I REMEMBER a time when streets and department stores were filled with the sounds of Christmas carols and songs.

"I FINALLY got it. The spirit of Christmas. And it is so pure in its simplicity."