Durban — In honour of Nelson Mandela, the regional acting commander of the Durban Metro police, Parboo Sewpersad, led metro officers to the Albert Park/ M4 Southern Freeway to clean up the area, and offer food and drinks to homeless people living under the bridges.
Sewpersad and his team dedicated their time on Monday not only to feeding the homeless but also to encourage them to promote hygiene usage, stop using drugs and to return to their communities.
Durban Metro Police superintendent Nomcebo Nhleko told them the police were not there to fight with them or chase them away, but to encourage them not to give up on life. He said those with IDs could avail themselves today so they could be advised on how to start sustainable small businesses.
“It is Mandela’s birthday today and we are here to say that we can work together to improve your living conditions, so we decided to come to help you clean your place and provide food,” she said.
Nomcebo said they had partnered with the Business Support Unit to assist those who would like to start a business. She told them there were opportunities and they were willing to help them through the process so they could become skilled and employable.
Sewpersad said it was important for those who had left their homes to return to them so that they could start afresh and positively contribute to society.
“We are trying our best to provide any support, hence we came up with the initiative to visit them and engage with them. In the city, we have many places where we want them to take advantage of the facilities and go and live because they are much safer than where they live under the bridges.”
Sifiso Zungu, who is from Mariannhill but lives on the streets, told the Daily News he and his friends were aware the life they lived was not desirable. However, he felt it was better to live in the city than to stay in their respective communities where they stole from residents.
“We need help with someone that can assist us to stop smoking whoonga drugs. We feel that government is only interested in helping rehabilitate those who use injections to drug themselves and not those who smoke whoonga. They have rehab places for heroin addicts but nothing for whoonga smokers,” Zungu said.
Superintendent Boysie Zungu said the police were adopting a new approach to the homeless so they could work with them and educate them about hygiene.
Daily News