You can’t go anywhere in Cape Town without being confronted by the scourge that is homelessness. Put it this way, unless you’re reading this over the shoulder of someone sitting on a park bench you will more than likely never understand the hardship that these men and women experience.

And then there’s these folks who, not far away from the District Six flats, have managed to carve out an existence living underneath the ground we walk on. News24 spoke to Danny’ Rasta’ Mukwena:

It was unbelievable seeing people living underground in what looked like caves. There were about 15 people there at the time.

“Because I had no choice, I took up the offer and I started burrowing my own place.

So once you have managed to carve out your own nest what kinds of things might one find? News24 again:

Inside the small hole covered with plastic sheeting, Mukwena has his belongings and blankets. He crawls into the hole to sleep, laying plastic on the ground and covering it with one of the blankets, given to him by District Six residents, then lying down and covering himself with another blanket.

Whilst some shelters are free many charge a fee to stay overnight, a fee which those struggling to find work can ill afford to pay.

Let’s all just remember the next time we moan about Eskom turning off the power or someone trying to break in the back door that at least we have a back door. Some of those around us are not quite as fortunate, and we don’t mean those of you forced to live in Johannesburg either.

You can see more pictures HERE.

[source:news24]