Homelessness in SA persists in a policy vacuum — one varsity is acting to fill it

Understanding homelessness: From visibility to the bigger picture

Homelessness is an enduring and multifaceted phenomenon that demands a multisectoral and transdisciplinary response that intentionally disrupts siloed functioning and prescriptive mandates. It is not a new phenomenon; it is one that has stood the test of time and taken various forms across societies and timelines. In South Africa, homelessness is one of the foremost manifestations of a failed democracy, one that deliberately excludes and denies people their constitutional rights. Characterised by frequently overlooked gross human rights violations, homelessness – and, more importantly, people experiencing homelessness – has long been subjected to social and institutional neglect.

In the absence of a universal definition of homelessness, the question, “what is homelessness?”, remains as elusive as effective solutions to this complex issue. Homelessness transcends static definitions, as the experience is shrouded in heterogeneity, diverse pathways and non-linear life trajectories. The United Nations (UN) defines homelessness as a manifestation of extreme poverty and a failure of multiple systems, characterised by a lack of stable, safe, permanent and appropriate housing. Yes, it is that, but so much more! Adequate conceptualisation requires a range of definitions that comprehensively outline the contexts in which homelessness exists, ensuring that it is not reduced to housing insecurity or personal mismanagement. An attractive quality of the UN definition is its emphasis on the failure of multiple systems, highlighting several pathways into homelessness.

Making homelessness more visible requires awareness. Society must acknowledge its importance, and understand the associated risks and impact it has on individuals and the broader community. Educated awareness encourages informed attitudes rather than socially constructed misconceptions. Once we reach this level of societal awareness, responsible action and positive change can hopefully follow.

From policy to partnership: What can we build together?

In the absence of a national policy framework on homelessness, only one province, three cities and one municipality have attempted to develop and implement policies which are widely regarded as uncritical and largely ineffective. Subsequently, homelessness in South Africa continues to exist in what is best described as a policy vacuum. Mangaung is, unfortunately, not one of the areas that have tried to introduce such a policy. As a result there is very little being done in response to homelessness from the government, while organisations at grassroots typically have to pick up the slack with no designated plan of action – instead, a flurry of crisis management.

Following concerns raised by a stalwart in the Mangaung homelessness sector, Bishop De la Harpe le Roux from the Towers of Hope, the Directorate for Community Engagement (DCE) at the University of the Free State (UFS) has taken the lead in the establishment of a multistakeholder task team. This team seeks to strengthen responses to homelessness in the region, while embracing the values of UFS in its views regarding its response to social problems, which is not simply a charitable “add on” but part of the institution’s core academic function and ethical obligation. The DCE advances this commitment by playing a strategic advocacy and leadership role in mobilising academic, community and stakeholder partnerships to address community-based societal challenges through engaged scholarship, knowledge co-creation, capacity development and collaborative action aimed at achieving sustainable societal impact.

Since its inception, the task team has grown considerably, bringing together a formidable wealth of knowledge, experience and specialised expertise with representatives from the DCE, Kidz Care Trust, Towers of Hope, Iphahamiseng Trust and Zawadi Shelter, alongside staff members from various faculties at UFS, including the Humanities, Health Sciences, Education, Law and Theology.

From dialogue to action: A phased path towards meaningful, sustainable change

Our mission and vision as a task team is quite simple: We plan to move beyond dialogue and leap into action. The goal is to move from fragmented crisis responses towards a coordinated, inclusive and evidence-based response to homelessness in Mangaung. Accordingly, we plan to follow a phased and strategically thoughtful approach, ensuring that we generate contextually relevant data, establish functional intersectoral relationships and create sustainable service sector pathways to ensure that the policy (upon implementation) is met by a fully functional network at grassroots level. The initial phases of the project include an estimation survey, engaging with local government departments, a region-wide census, community awareness and advocacy events, participatory consultations with partners, communities and people experiencing homelessness, towards the drafting and eventual implementation of the proposed policy. DM