Ukungabi Namakhaya—Yintoni Unobangela Wale Ngxaki?

UMBUTHO weZizwe Ezimanyeneyo uthi: “Ehlabathini lonke kukho abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezili-100 abangenamakhaya.” Ukuba le ngxelo ichanile, umntu omnye kubantu abangama-60 akanayo indawo yokuhlala esemgangathweni! Phofu ke, kunzima ukubazi ngokuchanileyo ubukhulu bale ngxaki. Yintoni ebangela loo nto?

Ukuchaza oko kuthethwa kukungabi nakhaya kwahlukile ngokwamazwe ngamazwe. Iinkqubo abazisebenzisayo neenjongo zabo baphanda ngale ngxaki, iyayiphembelela indlela abayichaza ngayo. Ingcaciso yabo ichaphazela amanani abawapapashayo. Ngoko ke, kunzima, ukuba kuyenzeka ukufumana ingcombolo echanileyo ngale ngxaki.

Incwadi ethi Strategies to Combat Homelessness, epapashwe yiUnited Nations Centre for Human Settlements, iyichaza into yokungabi namakhaya njengemeko “yokungabi nendlu ekumgangatho owamkelekileyo. Oku kusenokuquka indlu engaphantsi komgangatho” wezindlu apho abantu abangenamakhaya bahlala khona. Abanye basenokuhlala ezitratweni okanye kwizindlu ezingamabhodlo okanye kwizakhiwo ezingasasetyenziswayo, ngoxa abanye besenokufihl’ intloko ezihostele. Abanye bahlala nabahlobo babo ematyotyombeni. Le ncwadi yongezelela isithi: “Ukuthi umntu akanayo indawo yokuhlala kuthetha ukuba ‘kufanele kubekho okuthile okwenziwayo’ ngomntu okwimeko enjalo.”

Kuqikelelwa ukuba ePoland, ilizwe elinabantu abamalunga nezigidi ezingama-40, abangama-300 000 abanayo indawo yokuhlala. Akukho mntu owaziyo kanye kanye ukuba bangaphi abantu abakule ngxaki, ekubeni kungekho ndawo isisigxina ababhaliswe kuyo yaye bengoonothwal’ impahlana. Abanye bacinga ukuba inani labo liphantse lifike kwisiqingatha sesigidi!

Ekubeni ukungabi namakhaya kuyingxaki yehlabathi lonke, kusenokwenzeka ukuba kukho umntu omaziyo ochaphazelekayo. Le ngxaki iye yabangela ukuba abantu bazibuze imibuzo emininzi. Kwenzeke ntoni kwaba bantu ukuze bangabi nayo indawo yokuhlala efanelekileyo? Bazinyamekela njani iintswelo zabo ezisisiseko? Ngubani obancedayo kule ngxaki? Yaye ikamva libaphathele ntoni?

Ukuba Nekhaya Nokuphinda Ungabi Nalo

USabrinaa ngumama ongatshatanga osuka kummandla ohlwempuzekileyo eHarlem kwisiXeko saseNew York. Wayeka esikolweni ngaphambi kokuba agqibe kumabanga aphakamileyo. USabrina uhlala nabantwana bakhe abathathu kwindawo karhulumente yokufihl’ intloko. Inguye noonyana bakhe abathathu—untondo oneenyanga ezilishumi, owesibini oneminyaka emithathu nomdala oneminyaka elishumi ubudala, bahlala kwindlu enegumbi elinye lokulala. Le ndawo ilungiselelwe abantu abangenayo indawo ekhuselekileyo yokuhlala.

USabrina wayeka ukuhlala nonina kwiminyaka elishumi edluleyo. Ukususela ngoko ebehlala nomntu athandana naye, ahlale nabahlobo bakhe, kwanezalamane, yaye xa izinto zazingasamhambeli kakuhle waya kuhlala kule ndawo ilungiselelwe ngurhulumente. USabrina uthi: “Bendisebenza ndiphinde ndingasebenzi, ngamanye amaxesha ukuze ndibe nemali bendisoluka iinwele zabantu kodwa amaxesha amaninzi bendiphila ngomxhesho karhulumente.”

Okothusayo kukuba, iingxaki zikaSabrina ngokutsho kwephephancwadi iParents, zaqala xa wafumana umsebenzi osemgangathweni wokucoca ehotele. Ngoxa wayesebenza apho, wayefumana imali eninzi gqitha ukuba angafumana umxhesho karhulumente nangona yayinganeli ukuhlawula iindleko zakhe, eziquka indlu, ukutya, impahla, into yokuhamba, nokunyamekela abantwana. Ngenxa yoko, kwakunzima ukuba ahlawule irente yaye umntu wendlu wazama ukumkhupha. Ekugqibeleni, uSabrina wayeka ukuphangela waza waya kuhlala kwizindlu zokwexeshana de wabe uhlala kule ndawo ahlala kuyo ngoku.

USabrina uthi: “Bekunzima kubantwana ukuba banyamezele le meko. Unyana wam omdala ufunde kwizikolo ezithathu ezahlukahlukeneyo. Ebefanele ukuba ukwibanga lesihlanu, kodwa wahliselwa . . . Siye sahlala kwindawo ezahlukahlukeneyo.” USabrina uphakathi kwabantu abalinde ukwakhelwa indlu ngurhulumente.

Kunomntu ongenayo kwaukuba nayo indawo yokuhlala, uSabrina ubonakala ebhetele kunabo bantu. Noko ke, nokuba umntu akanayo indawo yokuhlala, akumnandi ukuhlala kwezi ndawo zikarhulumente. Ngokutsho kwePolish Community Help Committee, abanye “boyika imithetho ebekelwa abantu abahlala kwezo zindlu” yaye ngenxa yoko baye bangalufuni olu ncedo. Ngokomzekelo, abantu abangenamakhaya abahlala ehostele kulindeleke ukuba basebenze baze bangabuseli utywala yaye bangasebenzisi neziyobisi. Asinguye wonke umntu okulungeleyo ukuphila ngaloo mithetho. Ngenxa yoko, kuxhomekeka kwixesha lonyaka, abantu abangenamakhaya uya kubafumana belele kwizikhululo zoololiwe, ngaphantsi kwezinyuko, kwiisela, kwanakwizitulo ezide zeepaki, phantsi kweebhulorho, nakwimizi-mveliso. Le ngxaki isehlabathini lonke.

Enye incwadi ethetha ngokungabi namakhaya ichaza izizathu ezininzi ezingunobangela wale ngxaki ePoland. Ziquka ukudendwa kwabantu emisebenzini, amatyala neengxaki zentsapho. Zishokoxekile izindlu zokuhlala zabantu abadala, abaneziphene, nabosulelwe yintsholongwane iHIV. Abantu abaninzi abangenamakhaya abaphili kakuhle engqondweni nasemzimbeni okanye baba nengxaki yokuba ngamakhoboka ngokukodwa otywala. Uninzi lwamabhinqa angenandawo yakuhlala aye ashiya okanye agxothwa ngamadoda, okanye aba ngonoongogo. Kubonakala ukuba mntu ngamnye ongenakhaya uba nemvelaphi engentle.

Bazibona Sebekule Ngxaki

UStanisława Golinowska, ingcali kwezentlalo nezoqoqosho uthi: “Apha [ePoland] akukho mntu ungenandawo yakuhlala kuba ezikhethele ukungabi nayo. . . . Kunoko, kungenxa yokusilela kwezinto ezahlukahlukeneyo ebomini, eziye zakhokelela ekubeni abantu badimazeke baze bangakuthandi ukuphila.” Ukungabi nandawo yokuhlala kwehlela abantu abathi ngezizathu ezahlukahlukeneyo, bazive bengakwazi ukumelana nezo ngxaki. Ngokomzekelo, abanye abaye baphuma entolongweni, baye bafumanisa ukuba iindlavini ziye zonakalisa izindlu zabo. Abanye bakhutshiwe ezindlwini zabo. Uninzi alunandawo yakuhlala ngenxa yeentlekele zemvelo.b

Kolunye uhlolisiso kufunyaniswe ukuba ePoland isiqingatha ekhulwini sabantu abangenamakhaya babehlala namaqabane abo omtshato nakuba kwakukho iingxaki zentsapho. Uninzi lwagxothwa ezindlwini okanye luziva lunyanzelekile ukuba luhambe ngenxa yobunzima. Kuphela, bali-14 ekhulwini abaye benza isigqibo sokuhamba.

Emva kokuba benethuba benendawo yokufihla intloko, abanye bayakwazi ukuzifunela eyabo indawo yokuhlala. Kwabanye, imeko inzima ukuba ingacombululeka. Ngokuyinxenye ngenxa yokugula komntu ngengqondo okanye emzimbeni, ukukhotyokiswa yinto ethile, ukonqena ukusebenza, ukungafundi ngokwaneleyo, okanye ngenxa yezizathu eziliqela, baba kwimeko yokungakwazi ukuzifunela indlu. EUnited States, abantu abangenandawo yokuhlala abangama-30 ekhulwini bangena bephuma koko omnye umbutho wokunceda uluntu okubiza ngokuba “yinkqubo yabantu abangenandawo yokuhlala”—inkqubo equka indawo yokufihla intloko, izibhedlele neentolongo. Abo baxhomekeke ngokupheleleyo kule nkqubo basebenzisa ama-90 ekhulwini emali yeli lizwe enikelelwe le ngxaki yokungabi nandawo yokuhlala.

Uncedo Lwabantu Abangenandawo Yokuhlala

Ezinye iindawo zokufihl’ intloko zinceda abantu ukuze bazifunele iindawo zokuhlala. Aba bantu basenokuncedwa ngurhulumente, bancedwe ngemali evela kwezinye iindawo, bancedwe ngezinto zomthetho, bancedwe babuyele kwiintsapho zabo, okanye banikwe ithuba lokuba bafunde ubugcisa obuthile. Amaziko alungiselelwe abantu abaselula eLondon anikela amacebiso ngokutya, ukupheka, indlela yokuphila esempilweni, nangendlela yokufumana umsebenzi. Injongo yala macebiso kukwenza abantu bazihlonele, ayabakhuthaza yaye ayabanceda bazimele, ukuze bakwazi ukuzifunela baze banyamekele izindlu zabo. Amalungiselelo anjalo ngokuqinisekileyo ayancomeka.

Noko ke, ezi ndawo zokufihla intloko azisoloko zinolona ncedo lufunwa ngabantu abangenandawo yokuhlala. UJacek, ongenakhaya eWarsaw uchaza ukuba ubomi kwindawo zokufihla intloko azibenzi abahlali balapho bakwazi ukusebenzisana nabantu bangaphandle. Uvakalelwa ukuba abantu abahlala apha, ngenxa yokunxulumana baze bancokole bodwa, baqalisa “ukungakwazi ukucinga kakuhle.” Uthi: “Indawo yokufihla intloko ekude nabantu idla ngokuba ngathi kusendimangeni.” Ngokwendlela acinga ngayo, abantu abaninzi abahlala kwezi ndawo “iingqondo zabo azisebenzi kakuhle.”

Ngokutsho kolunye uhlolisiso lwasePoland, ukuba lilolo yeyona nto ibuhlungu abajamelene nayo abantu abangenayo indawo yokuhlala. Ngenxa yeengxaki zemali nokungahlonelwa ekuhlaleni, abantu abangenamakhaya badla ngokuzijonga njengabangaxabisekanga. Abanye baye babhenele etywaleni ukuze bajamelane neengxaki zabo. UJacek uthi: “Xa sibona kungekho nto ibonakala inokutshintsha izinto, uninzi lwethu ngokuthe ngcembe siye siphelelwe lithemba lokuba ingaze ibekho into enokuphucula imeko yethu.” Luba neentloni yindlela olukhangeleka ngayo, ngenxa yokuba lungamahlwempu nangenxa yokuba lungenakuzinceda, nangesibakala nje sokuba lungenayo indawo yokuhlala.

UFrancis Jegede oyingcali kwimibandela yabemi uthi: “Enoba sithetha ngabantu abahlala ecaleni kwendlela eBombay [eMumbai] naseCalcutta okanye abantu abalala ezitratweni zaseLondon, okanye Abantwana Abahlala Esitratweni eBrazil, imeko yabantu abangenandawo yokuhlala imaxongo yaye kulusizi ukucinga ngayo, singasathethi ke ngokuba kuloo meko.” Wongezelela esithi: “Enoba uyintoni unobangela wale ngxaki, umbuzo umntu ahlala ezibuza wona ngowokuba, kutheni ihlabathi elinobutyebi nobulumko nelihambele phambili kwezobugcisa, libonakala lingakwazi ukucombulula ingxaki yabantu yokungabi namakhaya?”

Icacile into yokuba bonke abantu abangenamakhaya bayalufuna uncedo—kungekuphela nje uncedo olubonakalayo, kodwa bathuthuzelwe baze bakhuthazwe. Olo ncedo lunokubenza abantu bakwazi ukujamelana nezinye iingxaki ezininzi ezinokubakhokelela ekubeni bangabi namakhaya. Kodwa banokulufumana phi uncedo olunjalo? Yaye ngaba likho ithemba lokuba le ngxaki iya kuze iphele?

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 6]

Imiphumo Yobuhlwempu Obugqithiseleyo

Abantu abaninzi bahlala ezitratweni kwisixeko saseIndiya. Kuqikelelo olwenziwe kwixesha elidluleyo kwafunyaniswa ukuba bamalunga nama-250 000 abantu abahlala esitratweni eMumbai nje kuphela. Indawo yabo yokufihla intloko isenokuba yiseyile nje ebotshelelwe ezipalini nezakhiwo ezikufuphi. Kutheni behlala apho kunokuba bahlale kwizindlu ezinamaxabiso afikelelekayo ezikufuphi nesixeko? Kungenxa yokuba bayasebenza—bathengisa izinto ezincinane, bathengisa ezitratweni, bathutha abantu ngenqwelwana ekuthiwa ziirickshaw, baqokelela iintsimbi—kufuphi nasesixekweni. IStrategies to Combat Homelessness ithi: “Abahlali apho kuba bezikhethele. Banyanzelwa bubuhlwempu ukuze bangachithi imali behlawula irente kuba imali bathenga ngayo ukutya.”

Amadoda, amabhinqa, nabantwana abamalunga nama-2 300 bahlala ePark Station, eRhawutini, eMzantsi Afrika. Balala kwiiplatfomu, iibhedi zabo ziingubo ezindala, okanye balale kumatyotyombe akhiwe ngekhadibhodi. Uninzi aluphangeli yaye alunathemba lokuba liya kuwufumana umsebenzi. Abantu abaninzi baphila loo ntlalo kuso sonke eso sixeko. Abanamanzi, izindlu zangasese, nombane. Kwiimeko ezinjalo, izifo zisasazeka msinya.

Isizathu esibangela la maqela mabini nabanye abantu abaninzi angabi nayo indawo yokuhlala sizicacele—bubuhlwempu obugqithiseleyo.

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 7]

Iingxaki Zebutho Lanamhlanje

Incwadi ethi Strategies to Combat Homelessness, epapashwe yiUnited Nations Centre for Human Settlements, ichaza iintsilelo eziliqela kwimicimbi yezentlalo, ezobupolitika, nezoqoqosho ngokuphathelele ukulungiselela abantu bonke indawo yokuhlala. Ziquka ezi zilandelayo:

● “Eyona nto ibangela ukuba abantu bangabi nayo indawo yokuhlala kukungakwazi koorhulumente ukunikela ngemali eyaneleyo ukuze abantu babe nezindlu ezisemgangathweni.”

● “Imithetho ecinezelayo neenkqubo zokwenza amalungiselelo ezingekho mgangathweni. . . kubangela iingxaki kwinkqubo yokwakhiwa kwezindlu zabantu abaninzi abangamahlwempu.”

● “Ukungabi nandawo yakuhlala kubonisa ukusilela kukarhulumente ukuyaba ngokufanelekileyo imali yokwakhela abantu izindlu.”

● “Ingxaki yokungabikho kwezindlu ibangelwe yimithetho eye yamiselwa ngaphandle kokucinga ngokudodobala kwezoqoqosho, ukungabikho kwezindlu zamaxabiso afikelelekayo, ukusetyenziswa okwandileyo kweziyobisi, nokugula ngokwasemzimbeni nasengqondweni kwabantu abahluphekileyo ekuhlaleni.”

● “Kufuneka kuphuculwe indlela abaqeqeshwa ngayo abantu abanceda abantu abakule ngxaki. Abantu abangenandawo yakuhlala, ngokukodwa abantwana abahlala esitratweni, abafanele bajongwe njengabangabalulekanga okanye uxanduva kodwa njengabantu abanokusetyenziswa nabanokuba luncedo ekuhlaleni.”

[Umfanekiso]

EMexico, umama kunye neentombi zakhe ezimbini bahamba bengqiba

[Inkcazelo]

© Mark Henley/ Panos Pictures

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 6]

EPitoli, eMzantsi Afrika, indawo eyayikade isisikhululo sikaloliwe ngoku yihostele yabantu abangenamakhaya

[Inkcazelo]

© Dieter Telemans/Panos Pictures

[Inkcazelo Ngemifanekiso ekwiphepha 4]

Ekhohlo: © Gerd Ludwig/Visum/Panos Pictures; umfanekiso omncinane: © Mikkel Ostergaard/Panos Pictures; ekunene: © Mark Henley/Panos Pictures