Fines for Homeless People?

An urgent discussion initiated and hosted by the Community Chest took place at its offices in Cape Town on 8 July 2019 with the express purpose of considering the recent reports of fines being issued to homeless persons living on the streets of Cape Town.

The event comes in the wake of media reports of 199 fines being issued against homeless people by local law enforcement. It was arranged as an initial fact-gathering discussion to establish whether shelter organisations had any experiences and/or knowledge of the reported fines. It also sought to hear accounts of the magnitude and the impact of fines imposed on homeless persons in Cape Town.

Lorenzo Davids – CEO Community Chest, Hassan Khan from Haven Night Shelter and Richard Bosman, Executive Director: Safety and Security, joined Benito Vergotine in conversation Monday 22 July to unpack the issue of the most vulnerable being fined for sleeping on the streets.

Listen to the conversation here: Should the homeless be fined?