Cape Town: The Community, Arts and Culture Development Department of the City of Cape Town within the Community Services and Health Directorate has made a difference in the lives of thousands of rough sleepers through a number of interventions during the last financial year.
Reportedly, the department had more than 36,500 engagements with rough sleepers through dedicated services from July 01, 2024 to June 30, 2025. The City of Cape Town supports people who are sleeping rough on the streets. It includes access to City-run Safe Spaces and partner shelters, for work and reintegration programmes and assistance in overcoming substance abuse as part of its Rough Sleeper Strategy.
During the 2024-25 financial year, the city-wide interventions have resulted in some 5,073 people being helped off the streets as compared to 4409 the previous financial year, through shelter placements, reunifying families and other forms of reintegration; such as:
- 691 people participating in developmental programmes at City-run Safe Spaces.
- 80 Expanded Public Works Programme work placements to help those staying at the Safe Spaces and in shelters get back on their feet.
- 627 referrals for social grants, identity documents, specialized care facilities, and substance abuse treatment.
One of the people who was assisted is 40-year old Legidas Ndaviragiye who returned to his home country of Burundi earlier this month. Legally, Legidas was in the countrylegally but had fallen on hard times after a fire destroyed his home and he had no alternative place to stay.
Memeber of the Mayoral Committee for Community Services and Health – Councillor Francine Higham said that the field officers first met Legidas in 2022 as a rough sleeper after a complaint was received.
The staff arranged shelter placement and followed up for two years. Along with the Haven Night Shelter, they assisted him with the reunification process and soon he was ready to return to his home country.
As per Higham, his life is one of many changed through the interventions. They are serious about restoring dignity and impacting the lives of those who find themselves on the street, in a positive way. They are committed to assisting as many people as possible with solutions that make an impact and are sustainable.
Francine Higham said that the City of Cape Town did as much as possible, but they cannot do it alone. The partners play an integral part in assisting rough sleepers and they can do more because of their role.
Higham said that she want to thank them for their selfless dedication and commitment to some of the most vulnerable people of the City of Cape Town. The Street People Programme Unit has a walk-in centre on the Strand Street concourse in the Cape Town CBD that offers a number of services between 6:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
The 2025-26 budget includes a proposed R9.9 million for upgrading and expanding existing safe spaces; and a proposed operations budget which includes:
- R1.7 million for street people programmes, i.e. support programmes and winter readiness.
- R1.4 million for the EPWP: street people economics project.
- The Street People Programme Unit’s services include raising awareness and advocacy, facilitating access to substance abuse programmes and EPWP opportunities, assistance in obtaining identity documents and referrals to health and mental health services where needed.
The City’s Safe Space model includes:
- Dignified shelter and ablution facilities
- Two nutritious meals daily
- On-site social work services
- Personal development planning
- Assistance with ID documents and social grants
- Family reunification services
- Substance abuse treatment access
- Skills training and job placement assistance
- EPWP work opportunities