Dissertation submitted for a Masters Degree in Development Studies in the Faculty of Humanities and School of Social Sciences, at the University of the Witwatersrand March 2019 / Over the years Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have been providing a variety of social services, ranging from improving the skills of homeless individuals to helping prevent homelessness. This paper shed light on the current efforts by the Johannesburg Organisation of Services to the Homeless (JOSH), a Non-Profit Company (NPC) providing services to homeless individuals in Randburg. The study aimed to bridge the knowledge gap that exists in understanding the experiences of CSOs in service provision by exploring JOSH’s experiences in providing services to homeless individuals. The study asked the following research question: What are the experiences of JOSH as a CSO in providing services to homeless individuals in the City of Johannesburg? And the following three sub-questions: What services are provided to homeless people by JOSH? What informs the approach taken for service provision by JOSH? How does JOSH understand their experiences of service provision? I adopted a qualitative methodology and administered 15 face to face semi-structured interviews with the Directors, volunteers, and the staff at JOSH. This approach presented the opportunity to listen to the ideas, experiences and stories of people engaged with social action at JOSH. I used participant observation to collect data. I found this valuable as it gave me an opportunity to participate and observe the settings at JOSH in a way that provided a nuanced understanding of the services provided at JOSH. Thinking critically about the parameters of my research, I used purposive sampling to select my interviews. I chose people who worked closely with JOSH, whose knowledge and experiences would enable me to answer my research question and sub-questions. The fight to end homelessness has brought a new strategic de-instutionalised model of community engagement that addresses issues of social justice through spaces of engagement. According to Cloke (2011) these new spaces of engagement that emerge are known as ‘rapprochement’. This concept is developed in the literature review. It provides a framework of how non-statutory agencies uses a post-secular approach to engage with the homeless population through community-based social action. Five major themes emerged from data analysis: (1) A snapshot of JOSH’s homeless services, (2) Defining JOSH’s homeless services (3) JOSH’s view on homelessness, (4) Approach taken by JOSH, (5) A culture of support at JOSH and (6) challenges faced by JOSH. The first theme describes the different types of services that are provided by JOSH. This study has revealed that JOSH offers food services, skills assessment as well as counselling services to persons experiencing homelessness. JOSH does this by using a social entrepreneurial model, which is an example of rapprochement. This social enterprise model allows JOSH to put agency, innovation and hope at the heart of their approach. This approach 5 has enabled JOSH to create a space that is a transformative form of hospitality and a leadership style that allows different stakeholders to develop and acquire a sense of agency. The second theme demonstrated the model JOSH has adopted to provide services to homeless individuals. The third theme described the different terms JOSH uses to conceptualise homelessness. The fourth theme illustrates that JOSH uses a case management and service integration system to identify individuals who are homeless. The fifth theme describes how Directors, volunteers, and the staff at JOSH support homeless individuals. The final theme describes the different challenges JOSH faces in providing services to homeless individuals. The findings of the study revealed that JOSH’s soup kitchen was more successful because food services were the most accessible and reliable service to homeless individuals. JOSH also indicated that there is a need for an overnight shelter which was currently not JOSH’s focus of service delivery. Recommendations are made based on the findings of the study. / NG (2020)

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies

This study was conducted within the pressing social conditions of human vulnerability manifested in a worsening situation of homelessness which forces homeless people into a deplorable life in the inner city of Tshwane. The study is not a detailed strategic plan to design support services that could improve the situation. It is rather about imagining alternative ways to journey with homeless people in their struggle to regain their humanity; hence the title: Facing homeless people in the inner city of Tshwane. Chapter 2 analyses homelessness in the inner city of Tshwane, locating it within the bigger picture of the City of Tshwane. It takes into account the poverty that drives poor people to the margins, resulting in further human degradation. It exposes the adverse conditions that homeless people endure due to the absence of a social support net. The study obtained its information primarily from conversations with homeless people and with practitioners in church based organisations dedicated to addressing homelessness. Out of these conversations, five different causes of homelessness emerged, ranging from economic and political, to health, social and cultural factors. Chapter 3 describes a number of church-based initiatives in the inner city of Tshwane that address the situation of homeless people, analysing their strengths and weaknesses in responding to the causes of homelessness as identified in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 describes a number of church-based initiatives in the inner city of Tshwane that address the situation of homeless people, analysing their strengths and weaknesses in responding to the causes of homelessness as identified in Chapter 2. Chapter 4 develops an urban theological vision in response to this situation, in the light of the notions of holiness and hospitality in the Wesleyan tradition. Contemplating this teaching, a framework was generated for the journey of the inner city church with homeless people in their efforts to regain humanity, by prioritising economic, political, health, social, and educational strategies. This chapter highlights the fact that John Wesley’s Methodist movement campaigned for the abolition of African slavery. It also journeyed with poor and vulnerable people like widows, orphans and prisoners, using Methodist “Societies” and “Classes” to integrate them into society. Finally, Chapter 5 presents an integrative urban theological vision and a set of contextual strategies for the inner city church to journey with homeless people, following the horizons of human liberation developed in earlier chapters. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th. (Missiology (Specialisation in Urban Ministry))

MA (English) / Department of English / In this study, I explore the depiction of homelessness in K. Sello Duiker’s Thirteen Cents (2000) and Phaswane Mpe’s Welcome to Our Hillbrow (2001). Against the background of post-colonial and transcultural theories, I explore the effects of homelessness on select characters depicted in the two novels, particularly how homelessness and its effects impact on the characters’ identity and human dignity, as some of the themes which the two authors deal with. I achieve this through a close analysis of themes, characterisation and style as well as a demonstration of how the metaphor of the plight of the homeless is drawn from the experiences of the homeless characters portrayed in the novels. I establish, through this study, that the two novels depict characters on whose identity and human dignity, colonialism had an adverse impact. I argue that the corroded dignity and identity of the select homeless characters can be restored through the application of the tenets of transcultural theory. I consistently identify the central morals of the two novels under study as highlighting the need for society to address the plight central to the two novels’ major themes of homelessness, poverty, identity and human dignity against the backdrop of postcoloniality and transculturalism.

Homelessness is an increasing social challenge both locally and globally. Social problems associated with street homelessness and services provided to homeless people by social workers are well documented in South Africa. Little is known though concerning the collaborative role of social workers and homeless people in addressing street homelessness. This study explored the role of social workers in promoting social justice through a collaborative purpose amongst the homeless people in addressing street homelessness. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive, and contextual study was undertaken with 14 homeless participants aged 21 to 63, and eight social work participants aged 25 to 38. This study was informed by an amalgamation of two theories, indicating the collaboration theory and the structural theory. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, analysed by following Tesch’s eight steps (Creswell, 2009:186). The data was collected and verified, employing the Lincoln and Guba’s model of trustworthiness. The ethical considerations adhered throughout this study are informed consent, confidentiality and anonymity, management of information and debriefing. The major findings identified first, poverty and unemployment as major homelessness causes. Second, deprived, or non-existing family support, family or marital breakdown, substance use, migration of individuals from rural or foreign countries to city centres, as major contributing factors towards homelessness. Third, homeless people are more vulnerable to personal harm than the housed population. Fourth, the society and derogatory labels, such as crazy, nyaopes, and criminals are often used to describe these individuals. Finally, homelessness places homeless people at substantial risk of elevated mental health conditions. Implications for social work and recommendations for future research are presented. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)