Ikhaya lami: understanding homelessness in Durban: Phase 2: technical report

Homelessness is a feature of countries globally. While substantial work has been undertaken to understand homelessness in developed country contexts, relatively little has been written on this topic in African or other developing country contexts. Homelessness in the developed world is different from that of developing countries and obtaining a contextual understanding of homelessness is essential to developing relevant programmes and interventions that will bring about change. In South Africa, while persons living on the street are not a new phenomenon, recent economic changes have seen a rise in the number of people living and working on the street. This study aimed to develop a contextualized understanding and quantify the causes, challenges, needs and outcomes associated with street and shelter living in the Durban Central Business District (CBD) and selected surrounding neighborhoods.