Johannesburg’s Homelessness Crisis Is Bigger Than You Think, and the City Can’t Solve It Alone

Mayor Morero calls for national and civil support as shelters fall short and evictions stall

Johannesburg is a city of striking contradictions. Sandton’s sleek skyline sits just kilometres from overcrowded informal settlements and pavements where thousands now sleep rough. According to Mayor Dada Morero, the city is not just dealing with a housing backlog; it is facing a full-blown homelessness emergency.

And he’s clear on one thing: the city cannot manage it alone.

“It’s a big problem, and growing”

Speaking at a recent briefing, Mayor Morero acknowledged what many Joburg residents have long seen with their own eyes: more and more people are ending up on the streets.

“There’s a big problem in Johannesburg of homelessness,” he said bluntly. “We need government, the private sector, and civil society so that we can all put solutions on the table.”

The city is legally obligated to provide alternative accommodation to people facing eviction, including those living in hijacked buildings and unlawful informal settlements. But with shelter space scarce and demand rising fast, the city is struggling to meet that obligation.

When there is no shelter to offer

The issue is not just about housing. It’s about what happens when the law requires the city to provide accommodation, and it physically cannot.

According to Morero, the city has a number of temporary shelters, but they are limited in number and impact. Many are full or lack basic services that make them livable options for vulnerable people.

Worse, some of those in need have refused government assistance, citing safety concerns, overcrowding, or lack of autonomy in shelters. That’s a tension city officials are battling to navigate.

“There are a number of challenges about homelessness, which require all of society to help the government find an everlasting solution,” Morero added.

Social media says: “It’s visible everywhere”

Online, residents have echoed the mayor’s concerns, but some feel the city has been too slow to act.

Posts on X (formerly Twitter) have pointed to the rising number of people sleeping under bridges, outside shops, and on park benches. “I drive through Braam every day. More people on the streets every week. It’s heartbreaking,” wrote one user. Another replied, “The shelters are not working. We need real solutions.”

Others called for government and corporate partnerships to build more dignified transitional housing and address the mental health and substance abuse issues often linked to chronic homelessness.

The bigger picture

Homelessness in Joburg is not new, but the scale is changing. Analysts say the problem is being driven by a combination of urban migration, poverty, unemployment, and the aftershocks of COVID-era evictions.

While some informal settlements have legal protections under South African law, many do not, especially those that sprang up in recent years. This puts municipalities like Johannesburg in a difficult position: they are expected to uphold the law, but without the infrastructure or funding to do so.

Morero’s plea is more than a political talking point. It is a warning that if things don’t change soon, if national departments, NGOs, businesses, and communities don’t work together, the crisis will only deepen.

What now?

There are no quick fixes. But Mayor Morero’s remarks hint at a shift in tone, from managing the problem to calling for collective action.

For now, the city continues to triage cases, stretch its limited shelter system, and negotiate the legal and ethical tightrope of eviction and relocation.

But as winter nights turn colder, and pavements become beds for thousands, it’s clear: Joburg’s homelessness crisis can’t be solved in silos.

It will take everyone.

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Source: EWN

Featured Image: News24