The Struggle

Zwandile Madinda, one of the older men living on the street in Grahamstown for more than 20 years, explains the negative influences that this lifestyle has for many street youth.

Many who flee extreme poverty to join street life often do so under the impression that it will provide them with more opportunities and economic advantages than their home lives could offer.

This assumption develops into a vicious cycle by enticing young children with the impression that it can solve the problems they are running from.

Street youth like Luthando and Bhulelani here in Grahamstown, both want to earn an honest living, but having not completed secondary or tertiary education, their prospects for finding employment are very slim.

Both young men have spent many years offering a car wash service at various parking bays on High Street. This was their only stable source of income, until Makana Municipality enforced by-laws restricting the washing of cars by street youth, citing it as an illegal operation.

Street youth are furious at the local government for taking away their chance at an honest living and not providing an alternative.

2010 saw the implementation of the Consolidated Children's Act by the South African government. The Act was formulated around various bylaws aimed at protecting children from abuse, harm, neglect and to ensure their overall wellbeing.

Youth living on the street however, still lack access to the basic rights and necessities that the Act has in place for the protection of children.

Mandisi Planga, the Director of Community and Social Services for Makana Municipality attributes this to a lack of capital and manpower to facilitate the help needed for youth on the street.

The government acknowledges the plight of street youth as a prevalent worry that this city faces and admits that more needs to be done.