Graham Morris is in his 20s. He used to be in the navy This is his story, in his own words.
What is your name, age and birthplace?
I was staying in Joburg, homeless. I was staying there by foster parents. I was born in 1998. Graham Morris.
Can you tell me a bit about your life before you experienced homelessness and what a normal day looked like then?
I was first in the Navy. Then I go to gamble and drink, lose my job sometime. I cant go in. Then I go back to benders. And then I done some rude things in the Navy. I was staying there by my aunty's place in PE.
What led you to where you are now and were there particular moments that changed the direction of your life?
Ja I was drinking and I was smoking also. Marijuana. And then I going and I get in an argument with my friends up in the Navy school. Then I getting rude. In my own language.
What do you wish people understood better about being homeless?
Sometimes homeless is you didn’t getting some stuff you getting right there. Then you must steal and other people broke cars and then you must go back to jail. Nothing to pay you. Then you must go to sleep or you must go to be like you gay or anything like you want. Tik and drink wine with another guy and use you in places like slaves. It's more so in Joburg, when I was in the streets people coming from Transvaal they beat him with a hammer. Then you must stay in a shelter in the church places. Only the day people gonna go then you must go back to the streets. The shelter was safe. They people can't go in. Because they coming and they show you here is the money you must show us where we can get some weed or dope and they take you in the car and beat you. That Transvaal people.
What helps you get through difficult days and where do you find strength or support?
Some strength. It's only when it's raining and you didn’t know where to go. You wet, your clothes is wet. Nobody wanna help you also. They didn’t support you. They ask you must go to the shelter. But the shelter is a palce you must pay there. The shelter is R25. I pray. Sometimes I get strength because the papers what I read and how did I grow up. And now they say you use Tik. What is Tik. Tik is speed. When you sniff it or you overdose your body. Yes I pray and it helps me and keeps the strength away from me.
God forgive me what I done on my soul.
If you could change one thing about how society responds to homelessness, what would it be?
When I see homeless side to society then I pray only God forgive me what I done on my soul. You see my father.
Where would you like to be now if you could?
I wanna be maybe in PE with my family.
