City of Tshwane to help homeless amid fears of possible serial killer

The City of Tshwane is stepping up its efforts to help homeless people in Pretoria amid fears of a possible serial killer on the loose.

Five homeless people have been murdered in the city in the past month.

MMC Sakkie du Plooy said in a statement on Thursday the city wanted to identify all the homeless people in the capital and protect them.

Du Plooy met with concerned homeless people on Wednesday to discuss possible housing to get them off the street and out of danger. The city has identified two possible properties.

Du Plooy said the city budgeted about R5m in the 2019/20 financial year to address homelessness by upgrading shelters and possibly building new shelters.

“We are making a plea to other government departments and the private sector to make a contribution to this vulnerable social group, the homeless, by providing jobs, accommodation and food,” Du Plooy said.

The city said in the statement it wants to ensure “strict measures are implemented to ensure that caretakers of these buildings are capable of managing such facilities and do not exploit the homeless”.

Homeless person Nqobile Sibanda told TimesLIVE on Wednesday that they are fearing for their lives. The alleged serial killer attacked him last month while he was asleep.

“I'm scared of that man. He stabbed me four times.”

Sibanda, who was pushing a trolley filled with papers and plastic items he collects to make a living, said he does not feel safe anymore. He and other homeless men TimesLIVE spoke to said they now sleep in groups as they are scared of being accosted when they are alone.