In a powerful demonstration of what collaboration can achieve, the City of Cape Town and the Haven Night Shelter have joined forces once again — this time adding another 120 shelter beds to help more people transition off the streets into safety, dignity, and long-term support.
Unveiled on World Homeless Day (10 October), the expansion at the Haven’s Retreat shelter has more than doubled its capacity, growing from 104 to 224 beds thanks to a R12.7 million investment from the City. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Cllr Francine Higham, Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, toured the new facility to mark the milestone.
“This is about creating more dignified spaces where people can choose support, healing, and reintegration over the unsafe and unhealthy conditions of street life,” said Mayor Hill-Lewis. “No other city in South Africa is investing at this scale in helping people off the streets. By expanding shelter capacity, we’re restoring public spaces for everyone, while opening real pathways for change.”
Building Momentum for Change
The Retreat expansion follows the 63% increase at the Haven’s CBD facility, which grew from 96 to 156 beds earlier this year. Further upgrades are on the horizon for Kensington, Wynberg, and District 6 shelters — the latter supported by the Western Cape Department of Social Development.
Together, these projects form part of Cape Town’s unique social developmental approach: one that goes beyond shelter to tackle root causes and rebuild lives through coordinated support services.
A Network of Dignified Care
The City’s Safe Space programme — which provides structured, supportive accommodation — currently offers over 900 beds across sites in the CBD, Bellville, and Durbanville. Combined with NGO-run shelters like Haven, the City now helps an average of 3 500 individuals each year with placement, referrals, and social reintegration.
Councillor Higham noted, “This is not just about beds. It’s about the full continuum of care — from access to social workers and ID assistance, to skills training and employment opportunities. Our partnership with Haven and other NGOs ensures every individual has a pathway out of homelessness.”
The Safe Space model offers more than a roof. Residents benefit from:
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Dignified accommodation with meals and ablutions
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On-site social workers and personal development plans
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Support with ID books and social grants
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Family reunification programmes
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Access to substance abuse treatment (with an 83% success rate through the Matrix Programme)
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Skills training and EPWP job placements
A City Leading with Compassion and Results
With over 1 300 beds now available across Cape Town’s growing network of care sites, the City’s strategy is setting a new standard for how municipalities can respond to homelessness — not as a policing issue, but as a shared human challenge that demands compassion, investment, and collaboration.
The Haven partnership embodies this spirit: a model of what’s possible when government and civil society work together to create dignified pathways to stability and hope.
