During this time of uncertainty and anxiety, many of my friends are at the coalface of helping to find ways of keeping our city’s homeless community safe.
Amid the WhatsApp flurry of important but fixable challenges, I realised the amazing achievement the people of Durban have pulled off in one week. In one short week city officials, municipal workers, government staffers, NGOs, faith leaders, corporates, organisations and individuals have worked together as one team with astonishing results.
The enlightened civic leadership of deputy mayor Belinda Scott and deputy city manager Vusi Mazibuko and their teams have been world-class. This has meant that Durban has led the way in its response to managing the plight of the city’s homeless men and women quickly and efficiently
Some remarkable and proactive NGOs and their volunteers have been involved this week. Particular heroes are the men and women from the Denis Hurley Centre under the leadership of Raymond Perrier, We Are Durban under the leadership of Linda Morrison and Grace Aid led by Dave Richter.
As a result some 2000 street people have been screened and processed. No one showed any Covid-19 symptoms. While 300 street people have gone back to their homes or removed themselves from the process, 1700 people (1400 men and 300 women) have been given temporary accommodation – disabled and elderly men, and all women and children in formal shelters, men in tented camps
throughout the city. All have been given hygiene packs, mattresses and blankets. They have at least three freshly prepared meals every day.
Durban takes for granted its strong interfaith relations. During times of crisis, that strength comes to the fore. This week faith communities have fed the body and soothed the souls:
- Volunteers from the Christian tradition provide breakfasts (thank you Nomvula Shale and the team from Siphila Ngomusa Community Development).
- Volunteers from the Hindu tradition provide lunches (thank you Ashok Sewnarairn and the team from the Pavilion Hotel) with additional lunches provided for staff (thank you HEAL Foundation of Arya Samaj).
- Volunteers from the Muslim tradition provide suppers (thank you Ebeen Khan from Feed the Poor, and Kathy from Team Rashid Bashier and your respective teams).
- Volunteers from the Jewish tradition provide refreshments and a quiet refuge at the Durban Jewish Centre for all emergency personnel.
The vendors from Denis Hurley Centre Street Lit project – themselves vulnerable men and women (many of them former street people themselves) voluntarily donated books from their storeroom to give to the homeless to read. Fifteen boxes of carefully chosen books were packed and delivered (one per site) to help alleviate boredom.
Corporates, individuals and organisations have generously donated essential items and foodstuffs consistently throughout lockdown.
Extraordinary men and women are managing the individual sites and dealing with unprecedented challenges and making difficult decisions. They are doing astonishing work:
- There are medical personnel on hand to help with medical situations
- There are police and security on hand to keep everyone safe and where they should be
- There are counsellors on hand to help with addiction withdrawals. Addicts have told personnel they are grateful for the opportunity to have the chance to begin the detox process.
- The media have given the process, plans and people involved enormous and considered support.
In one short week… we have done this!
From my little corner, watching with gratitude and respect, miracles have happened. I am hugely proud and affirmed. To every person involved in this process, from deep within my heart, I salute and applaud you. My prayer is this amazing energy and efficiency continues through lockdown and beyond and can be harnessed way into the future.
And if there are any people wanting to help further – probably the best thing to do is to make a donation to the Denis Hurley Centre – they will make sure it goes towards paying for the myriad expenses incurred at this time. Their website and Facebook page has more details.
Illa Thompson is director of Publicity Matters