Ashley Moodley.

As winter descends on Durban, the homeless community faces dire challenges, from hunger to harassment.

For many, homelessness was not a choice but a result of family tragedy, unemployment, loss and circumstances beyond their control.

In the same location as the newly-erected R22 million Oliver Tambo statue on North Beach, sits the hundreds of homeless people hoping for a better life.

For 41-year-old Ashley Moodley, homelessness has been a reality for two decades.