Durban - For the 200 homeless men and women who receive treatment at the free Bellhaven Harm Reduction Centre in Greyville, Durban, the centre’s staff and other beneficiaries have become family.
The Mercury visited the centre on Monday as people from around the globe observe World Homeless Day.
Bandile Shezi, 32, said he had been coming to the centre since level 5 lockdown was implemented in 2020.
At first, Shezi said he came to the centre seeking help after he heard about the methadone programme. Methadone is an opioid substitute that helps alleviate the side effects associated with heroin use.
However, he said he soon discovered that the centre had much more to offer.
“It's actually a family thing going on here. As you can see, there is a lot of services offered,” he said.
Shezi further explained that the staff were patient with them although, as homeless people with drug addictions, they were difficult to deal with.
“Being on the streets and being a drug user, sometimes it impacts your mind, so at certain times, a lot of the guys here are depressed and tend to be very difficult to deal with, so the staff here tolerate us and try to show us love to make us feel accepted because out there it’s a very different story. We are like outcasts. People do not like us and do not want to associate with us. Here we feel welcomed, we feel loved and we feel like we are a part of something,” he said.
Another homeless beneficiary of the programme, 33-year-old Msizi Zondi, has been coming to the centre for two years as he could not cope as a drug user living on the streets and needed help.
Zondi said not only did the programme assist him with the methadone treatment, it also gave him time to do focus on other things besides hustling on the streets.
He said he had access to social workers, psychosocial services and medical attention.
“This is more like a home to us now. I can't be away from this place for more than three days. Being away for two days on a Saturday and Sunday, it's a burden, but I try to cope,” he said.
Zondi said once he received his treatment he had time to do other things like attend workshops at the centre, on topics such as how to deal with an overdose situation or how to stay clean and prevent hepatitis. He said he even had time to bathe and most importantly to focus on the positive aspects of life.
“Some of the guys even got jobs and are now working because they are getting all the support necessary. The social workers are here every day to help deal with the mental issues and we have time to attend these programmes, it's magical,” he said.
The centre has called for public donations to assist with the methadone programme which can no longer assist more people in need due to a lack of funding.
CLICK HERE for more information and donation details