New rehabs for Cape Town's street people

By Chanel September
29 May 2007

A rehabilitation programme aimed at treating street people with alcohol and other substance addictions has been set up by the City of Cape Town.

The new rehab plan forms part of a pilot project for the holistic strategy of adult street people, costing the city R1,3 million. The programme also offers clinical detoxification services, personal development programmes and support services by various NGO’s.

“The strategy has been developed ‘from the bottom up’ and is the final consultation between NGO’s and city officials”, says the city’s Safety and Security Portfolio Committee Member JP Smith.

“Our main focus is to develop an implementable strategy which in tern would reduce the number of people landing on the city’s streets. The programme will last a couple of weeks,” says Smith.

According to the city, about 3000 people are currently living in shelters. This strategy seeks to offer people an alternative to life on the street and will offer life skills and job skills training.