Nothing compares to a hot plate of food, a hot bath and a warm bed on a cold winter’s night. Yet, there are those who don’t have this privillage.
Hidden outside the fringes of society, lives the homeless community. A small population of people who endure the elements, nights of hunger and occasional abuse from the working class.
“It isn’t easy living in the streets. It is a tough life,” explains Jabulani.
Living on the streets for the past three years, Jabulani explains that he hails from the Free State. He came to Newcastle, hoping to find employment. When this failed, he found himself with nowhere to go.
What does one do when you can’t find work, a place to stay and food to eat? Jabulani claims he took to begging and scavenging. “My family doesn’t know I am here. It would embarrass them.”
Now living under a bridge with scores of other homeless people, some of which are mere children, Jabulani says not only does the working class take a lot for granted but wastes a lot.
But what could we possibly waste and take for granted? Especially with the ever-tightening economy?
“Myself and others dig in the bins and refuse bags for old cans and steel. We then take these to be recycled and collect the money for food and sometimes for clothes.”
With scores of old beer and cold drink cans in front of him, Jabulani* explains people often gave little thought to cans. “People throw the cans everywhere, I don’t know if they know they can make money out of it, but if we collect enough cans, we can maybe get enough money for food.”
This is not the only wastage the working class is guilty of. Apparently, people often went to fast food outlets, order food and discard the veggies from their burgers into the closest bin. If found by a homeless person, this can provide a moment’s worth of nourishment.
People are also apparently guilty of chucking furniture with metal away, without attempting to repair it. “If we can use it for ourselves or break it to sell the metal, we will.”
While the homeless often rely on their scavenging and begging, Jabulani claims there are those who occasionally show them kindness. “There is a man who brings food to us once a week. Also, there are some people who bring us blankets in winter. But, we have not been given any blankets this year.”
Having lived on the outskirts of society, Jabulani says he has learned a lot about people.
“People who have money, will use it on beer, food, clothes and whatever else. They look down on us. But, they can’t compare themselves to us. We are different. There are days where we puzzle for money and food. We go to sleep hungry most nights. We get accused of stealing and doing drugs. While some do this, not all of us do. People must remember, this is not a nice life,” Jabulani concluded.
