Durban - With just a few minutes before the actual inauguration ceremony starts, an excitement lifted on the streets of Durban as homeless people celebrated their hopes that things will change when Jacob Zuma becomes President.
While thousands of people across the country are glued to their television sets to witness the historical Presidential Inauguration, those on the streets are excited that their dreams of getting a house will be soon be coming true.
BuaNews took to the streets to speak to some of the homeless people in the province to hear their views and hopes for the future.
Raymond Debbie, who has been living on the streets of Durban for the past three years, said he is hopeful that he will get a RDP house once Mr Zuma was inaugurated.
"As today the new president is being inaugurated, I believe that things will change for the better. We hope that we will get the RDP houses like any other South Africans," said Mr Debbie.
Another homeless person, Tandia Cole said as the winter is approaching life was going to be difficult for people like her since they are sleeping on park benches.
Ms Cole said she hopes that Mr Zuma will not only focus on black people, but will also help them (white people) to get houses.
"I have been homeless since 1999 after I ran away from Eastern Cape with the hope of better life in this province. But things did not go as planned; I ended up becoming homeless in the city of Durban.
"But today I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We as the homeless people are hoping that Zuma will keep his promise for a better life for all and give us RDP houses," said Ms Cole.
One of the African National Congress (ANC) manifesto point was to provide better houses for the people in this country if they won the elections. So now it is up to Mr Zuma to make sure that the promises that were made are kept.
Another homeless person, Sibongile Zama said she is hopeful things will change for the better.
"We as the homeless people are looking forward to see what the new president can do for us, because we have been ignored for too long," she said.
