Point in Time Count of Rough Sleepers in
Johannesburg

Is homelessness getting worse or better in Johannesburg?

It is impossible to tell for sure without conducting regular point-in-time counts, physically counting the number of people who are found rough sleeping on the streets of Johannesburg. Therefore, several organisations working with homeless people are piloting the first of what is planned to be a street count that takes place every six months.

Where are we counting?

As this is a pilot, we will be trialling the count in two areas in Johannesburg:
1. CBD
2. Linden

These areas will be expanded in future counts.

Who are the organizers?

The following local organizations are helping to organise and run this important initiative:

When is the count?

Wednesday 20th August 2025: 6.30pm – 11pm

What will I be expected to do?

Each area has a local hub. You will meet here at 6.30pm to receive training (on count tools and ethical engagement with people rough sleeping) and be assigned to a count area.
The count will happen between 8pm and 11pm. You will be part of a group of 4 or 5 and will be given an area to either walk/drive the streets and count the number of homeless people you find. To keep the enumerators safe, additional security response teams will be operating in the area on the night of the count.
When coming across an individual or group of people who are rough sleeping, as a team, you will count the number of people you see, as well as talking to people sleeping there to ask how many people are there. You will also ask a few people from each hotspot to complete a short survey.

How will the data be used?

We want to prevent homelessness and make homelessness increasingly rare, brief and non-recurring. This data will support measurement of these outcomes with regular counts able to track trends over time. Anonymised data will be shared with different stakeholders to improve planning for and provision of homelessness services. The study is being operated under ethical research clearance from WITS.

There is no specific funding supporting this initiative, but we are crowd sourcing support for the count. Therefore, we need:

Enumerators to do the count: It is just one evening / four hours of your time and will help you to understand homelessness in your local area in a completely different way.
Admin and logistics: Helping with preparation for the count and supporting with registering volunteers on the night.

Volunteer Application

First Name

Last Name

Phone

How would you like to get involved

Enumerator for the CountAdmin and logisticsOtherPlease select one or more of the options

Please specify how else you would like to get involved:

Which count area are you volunteering for

Jhb CBDLinden

Do you have lived experience of homelessness in this area?

YesNo

Would you like to receive U-turn news?

Yes, sign me up

No thanks, not now

Email notification

By submitting this form, I consent to the collection, processing, and sharing of my personal information with the Point-in-Time Count partners for purposes directly related to planning, conducting, and following up on the Count. I understand that my information will be kept secure and only used for these purposes, in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).