Community Chest shelters over 150 homeless people as chilly weather hits CT

With wet and cold weather setting in, Community Chest has provided Cape Town's vulnerable street dwellers shelter from the elements.

Community Chest CEO Lorenzo Davids has opened the organisation's Bree Street offices to 159 homeless people this week.

He invited them to take shelter at the Community Chest's offices on Monday night as the cold front rolled in.

Davids says the City of Cape Town left 180 street people exposed under the Culemborg bridge last week Thursday after they left the Strandfontein temporary shelter.

When the Strandfontein site was closed down, Davids says a small group of homeless people was quarantined and the rest were let go.

The people sleeping at the Community Chest offices were all tested for Covid-19 this week through a private medical partner paid for by the organisation.

Davids says everyone consented to the tests and will receive their results in the next three days.

"They know the danger of the virus and they want to protect themselves", the CEO explains.

Should anyone test positive, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has told Davids that they will be placed in isolation facilities provided by the province.

They are sleeping everywhere, in my boardroom, in our offices, on the floor, on mattresses, across every training room we have. It's been an amazing experience to have them with us, I call them my honoured guests.

Lorenzo Davids, CEO - Community Chest Western Cape

The problem is that there is not enough shelter [in Cape Town].

Lorenzo Davids, CEO - Community Chest Western Cape

Shelter is still a big issue to prevent the spread of the virus and for people to be in reasonable lockdown.

Lorenzo Davids, CEO - Community Chest Western Cape

Last Thursday, the City of Cape Town put about 180 homeless people under the Culemborg bridge. They were just there with mattresses and tents, nothing else - no food, no water, no shelter, no toilets - which goes against everything we know that the Disaster Regulations says should happen to people.

Lorenzo Davids, CEO - Community Chest Western Cape

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