Shelter beds are not a long-term solution to homelessness

Malixole Sikhungo, a freelance researcher in Cape Town, argues that current funding models for homelessness services perpetuate the crisis rather than solve it. He states that tying funding to bed-night tallies forces providers to focus on measurable outputs instead of empowering residents. With lived experience and a legal background, Sikhungo advocates for systemic reform of institutional frameworks to address homelessness more effectively.