JOHANNESBURG - Moving of Zimbabwean refugees living in and around Johannesburg's Central Methodist Mission will begin this week, says Gauteng local government spokesperson Daniel Ramarumo.But the process has already been delayed by three weeks and the the
selection process of the 4 000 refugees has raised fears that some of
the immigrants, considered less needy, might be left out in the open.
Ramarumo said the exercise had been complex as shelters had to be hired
from private landlords and security, food and bedding sourced.
We will make sure that the most vulnerable, like unaccompanied
children, nursing women, the elderly and the disabled are moved to the
new shelters first, he said.
He confirmed earlier reports that accommodation at the shelters would
be for an initial period of three months, after which government would
review the situation.
In addition, the refugees will be skills training at the new shelters,
in a bid to help them prepare for their return to their homeland.
A number of charities are assisting with various basic provisions, but
most assistance has come from the Methodist Church. The church housed
the refugees for years, before local businesses mounted a court
challenge to have the premises cleared earlier this year.
They alleged that they church occupants were committing crime, creating a health hazard and killing business in the city centre.
However, the Johannesburg High Court ruled that the matter should be
resolved out of court. It is now feared that the local government
authorities might use the temporary relocation as a way of removing the
refugees from the church, after which they might be left homeless
again. –
Staff reporter
Post published in: Politics