page_title: Homelessness in South Africa
section_title: Causes
hierarchical_section_title: Homelessness in South Africa / Causes
caption_attribution_description: English: Bergie (homeless person) collecting recyclables outside Morkel House in Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch, South Africa
context_page_description: Homelessness in South Africa dates back to the apartheid period. Increasing unemployment, lack of affordable housing, social disintegration, and social and economic policies have all been identified as contributing factors to the issue. Some scholars argue that solutions to homelessness in South Africa lie more within the private sphere than in the legal and political spheres.
  There is no national census on homeless people in South Africa, researchers instead rely on individual studies of homeless persons in particular cities. The South African homeless population has been estimated at approximately 200,000.
  One study found that three out of four South African metropolitan municipalities viewed homelessness primarily as a social dependency issue, responding with social interventions. At the same time, homeless South Africans indicated that the most important thing the municipality could assist them with was employment and well-located affordable housing.
context_section_description: Homelessness is shaped by social and economic insecurity which is worsened by informal housing and lack of legislation by the government. Financial pressure put on those living on the street is worsened as they have no ability to accumulate wealth, unlike the shack population.
  
  Even with improving economy unemployment is still at 27%, contributing to homelessness. 
  High rates of migration into urban areas whereby the government is unable to cope with the influx. Post-apartheid, free movement of non-white South Africans into areas that were restricted to them, resulting in not enough employment opportunities available.
caption: Homeless person collecting recyclables in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
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