Mixed blessing for some, as South Africa shelters homeless in schools, stadiums

A group of homeless men take in the last of the days light before seeking a place to sleep on a deserted promenade during the 21-day nationwide lockdown aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Cape Town, South Africa, April 15, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings

PRETORIA/CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa, like many nations, has long viewed homelessness as an inevitable fact of modern life, but the coronavirus epidemic is offering an unexpected chance to give those on the streets a roof over their heads.

Thousands are being housed in sports stadiums, schools and other locked-down public spaces, partly to try to stop them contracting or spreading COVID-19, and the government says it wants to ensure they don't slip back though the cracks once the outbreak ends.