Cape Town - Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said her department was in the process of finalising a study on homelessness amid absence of a national policy.
DA MP Alexandra Abrahams wrote to Zulu saying it was found that no national government policy existed on homelessness, a move that left affected individuals vulnerable.
Abrahams asked what progress had been made by her department regarding the specified gap in government policy and legislation, and the envisaged date for the government policy.
She also enquired the responsibility of her department in the daily plight of homeless individuals and the areas of co-operation between her department, provinces and municipalities on the issue.
In her reply, Zulu said homelessness was a cross-cutting issue which required a collaborative effort in addressing it.
She said the Department of Social Development was among the key departments that were relevant in dealing with homelessness.
“The Department of Social Development’s role is to provide psychosocial support services, reunification and reintegration programmes to the homeless. The department further provides alternative care to those children and older persons in terms of both the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 and the Older Persons’ Act 13 of 2006 to those eligible.”
Zulu also said currently it was not clear which department was mandated to take a lead in the matter, but her department took an initiative to lead the development of the policy for the homeless.
“To this end the department is in a process of finalising the rapid assessment and a diagnostic study on (the) homeless which will be used as a basis for the development of the policy.
“The aim of the study is to understand the nature and extent of the problem, what interventions are available and the existing policy gaps.”
The minister said once her department, working jointly with other key departments, had concluded, including broad consultation with key stakeholders and presentations to different cluster departments, the policy would be presented to Cabinet for consideration.
“Currently there is no national policy on homelessness but each province has put various systems and interventions in place to address the plight of homeless people in their respective provinces,” she said.
Zulu noted that Gauteng and Western Cape had dedicated shelters and budget to address homelessness as well as guidelines, norms and standards for the operation of the shelters.
She also said other provinces did not have dedicated shelters and budget, but had repurposed other existing structures in order to address the issues of homeless people.
“Provinces are working closely with other key stakeholders such as Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, South African Local Government Association, SAPS, Home Affairs, Human Settlement and Health in order to provide comprehensive integrated services to the homeless,” Zulu added.
Cape Times