Mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo says she is on track to meet her undertaking, given in May, to remove homeless children from Cape Town's streets within a year.
Mfeketo told a full council meeting on Wednesday that she would announce details of her plan within two weeks.
The draft had been given to her before September 30 this year, but a number of key non-governmental organisations (NGOs) had been concerned about the rushing of consultations to meet the deadline, she said.
"I had a very fruitful meeting with them and we concluded that further opportunity for input and workshopping was necessary. I am assured that this process is on track... I recognise that an integrated multi-stakeholder plan for... street children is just a start in addressing the larger problem of homelessness, which must be a... priority."
Earlier this year the provincial department of social services contributed R2-million for the mayor's draft plan, which included:
- Building responsible citizens and integrating street children into communities.
- Returning street children to their parents and helping with the social situation in the family.
- For orphans, creating a shelter with a "homely atmosphere where they can develop".
- Providing skills training to those older than 18.
- Assessing of each child by psychologists, doctors and social workers and the drawing up of a plan.
On Wednesday Hassan Khan, chief executive of The Haven Night Shelter Welfare Organisation, said: "Our concern was that the plan did not include homeless adults... but there is an understanding they this will be (provided) for. Street persons cannot be dealt with in pockets - it has to be done holistically."
Pam Jackson, director of Ons Plek girls' shelter and chair of the Western Cape Street Children's Forum, said Central Business District (CBD) NGOs were succeeding in getting children off the streets each year, but could not cope with fresh influxes from impoverished homes.
She suggested the mayor's plan could duplicate the work being done by CBD NGOs.
"Services are needed more in areas such as Khayelitsha and Wallacedene. This is where children are coming from. The plan sounds reasonable, but we want to see the details. Education and preventive measures are also important."