Cape Town Embarks on Homeless Count in Pioneering Pilot Project

In an unprecedented initiative, a group of two hundred volunteers converged on various parts of Cape Town on the evening of November 13 to undertake a crucial count of the city's homeless population. This pilot project, involving members from several organizations such as U-turn, Streetscapes, MES, New Hope SA, The Haven, and the Voortrekker Road Corridor Improvement District, marks a significant step towards understanding and solving homelessness in the region.

The survey spanned substantial areas including Rondebosch, Newlands, Claremont, Kenilworth, Muizenberg, Fish Hoek, Simons Town, and the northern suburbs like Parow, Bellville, and Durbanville. This broad geographic coverage ensures a comprehensive assessment of both the suburban and semi-urban areas, shedding light on the needs of communities that are often overlooked in centralized city planning.

As the teams composed partly of individuals who have experienced homelessness firsthand, delved into the night to gather data, they were driven by a shared goal of determining the exact needs of those living on the streets. Critical questions directed to the respondents included inquiries about their pathways to homelessness, duration of their street-bound lives, and their attempts (if any) at accessing available social services.

The feedback revealed multifaceted causes behind homelessness, ranging from family issues and addictions to the lack of employment, as outlined by Valerie Govender, the chief communications officer at U-turn. The individual stories captured during the survey painted poignant pictures of misfortune but also of resilience and the dire need for a second chance at life.

This initiative is not the first attempt at quantifying homelessness in Cape Town — a 2020 study highlighted by GroundUp estimated the homeless at over 14,000. However, this pilot project seeks to not only update these figures but also to provide a foundation for an ongoing assessment strategy.

Jon Hopkins of U-turn explained the necessity of regular counts, asserting that without these data, there is no real gauge on whether the situation of homelessness is worsening or improving. The organizations involved plan to continue this effort with another count scheduled in six months, looking to expand their coverage further.

The outcomes of this survey will serve multiple purposes. Primarily, they will inform both governmental and non-governmental bodies in targeted policy-making and in the enhancement of service deliveries. Furthermore, this project seeks to address the critical question of homelessness not only through numbers but through enhanced understanding and actionable insights.

As Cape Town continues to grapple with urban development challenges, projects such as these shine a light on the oft-neglected corners of societal issues, hopefully paving the way for more informed and effective interventions.