Thousands of rough sleepers assisted through City interventions
29 July 2025
The City’s Community, Arts and Culture Development Department 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. From 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025, the department had more than 36 500 engagements with rough sleepers through dedicated services.
The City’s support for people sleeping rough on the streets includes access to City-run Safe Spaces and partner shelters, work and reintegration programmes and assistance in overcoming substance abuse as part of its Rough Sleeper Strategy.
During the 2024/2025 financial year, interventions city-wide have resulted in:
Some 5 073 people being helped off the streets (compared to 4 409 the previous financial year), through shelter placements, reunifying families, and other forms of reintegration. Of these:
691 people participating in development 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, specialised 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.
Legidas was in the country legally, but had fallen on hard times after a fire destroyed his home and he had no alternative place to stay.
‘Our field officers first met Legidas in 2022 as a rough sleeper after a complaint was received. Our staff arranged shelter placement, and followed up for two years. Along with the Haven Night Shelter, we assisted him with the reunification process and soon he was ready to return to his home country.
‘His life is one of many changed through our interventions. We are serious about restoring dignity and impacting the lives of those who find themselves on the street, in a positive way. We are committed to assisting as many people as possible with solutions that make an impact and are sustainable,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Francine Higham.
The 2025/2026 budget includes a proposed R9,9 million for upgrading and expanding existing safe spaces; and a proposed operations budget which includes:
R 1,7 million for street people programmes, i.e. support programmes and winter readiness
R 1,4 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
‘The City does as much as possible, but we cannot do it alone. Our partners play an integral part in assisting rough sleepers and we can do more, because of their role. I want to thank them for their selfless dedication and commitment to some of the City’s most vulnerable people,’ added Councillor Higham.
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 from 06:30 to 16:00, Monday to Friday.
To access services related to street people, please call 0800 872 201.
Caption 1: Legidas Ndaviragiye, middle, with field officers Keenan Basson and Purden Witbooi.
Caption 2: Councillor Higham visited the walk-in centre of the Street People Programme Unit.
Caption 3: People sleeping rough have access to a number of services at the centre.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
