REFUGEES from xenophobic violence have been told to leave community halls and other sites in Cape Town by the weekend or the city’s officials will “pursue legal options” against them.
The refugees are housed at five makeshift camps, in 11 community halls, and in mosques and churches around the city.
The city council and the provincial government’s plan is to consolidate the remaining 3300 refugees at three sites.
Smit said communities wanted their halls back — and that meant the refugees had to be moved.
“People plan weddings and run creches; they need the halls,” said Smit.
“If people refuse to move we’d have to pursue legal options, [but] we won’t serve eviction notices without exploring other options.”
Hildegard Fast, head of provincial disaster management, said transport to other accommodation would be provided for refugees from today .
Refugees would be moved to three sites: Harmony Park in Strand; Youngsfield military base in Ottery and Blue Waters in Strandfontein. Two sites, Soetwater and Silwerstroom, would be dismantled.
“We want to focus on a couple of sites, which will also intensify our reintegration and repatriation process,” said Fast.
She said that Muslim refugees would be grouped together because they would be observing Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, from Monday.
“ Different eating patterns and ablution facilities will be needed. Mothers and their children are a priority and they will be put in family tents ,” said Fast.
Capacity at the three sites would be increased to house more refugees but, she warned, they were “not going to [get] higher standards”.
She said helping the refugees had cost the province more than R104-million.
Sifiso Mbuyisa, who works on refugee reintegration in Cape Town townships, said communities had welcomed the refugees back.
- The Times
VIDEO: Re-integrated Refugees Face Life After Xenophobic ViolenceHans Smit, executive director for housing for Cape Town, said yesterday that there “has been unhappiness” among the communities that used the halls and other facilities before they were turned over to the refugees.
The refugees are housed at five makeshift camps, in 11 community halls, and in mosques and churches around the city.
The city council and the provincial government’s plan is to consolidate the remaining 3300 refugees at three sites.
Smit said communities wanted their halls back — and that meant the refugees had to be moved.
“People plan weddings and run creches; they need the halls,” said Smit.
“If people refuse to move we’d have to pursue legal options, [but] we won’t serve eviction notices without exploring other options.”
Hildegard Fast, head of provincial disaster management, said transport to other accommodation would be provided for refugees from today .
Refugees would be moved to three sites: Harmony Park in Strand; Youngsfield military base in Ottery and Blue Waters in Strandfontein. Two sites, Soetwater and Silwerstroom, would be dismantled.
“We want to focus on a couple of sites, which will also intensify our reintegration and repatriation process,” said Fast.
She said that Muslim refugees would be grouped together because they would be observing Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, from Monday.
“ Different eating patterns and ablution facilities will be needed. Mothers and their children are a priority and they will be put in family tents ,” said Fast.
Capacity at the three sites would be increased to house more refugees but, she warned, they were “not going to [get] higher standards”.
She said helping the refugees had cost the province more than R104-million.
Sifiso Mbuyisa, who works on refugee reintegration in Cape Town townships, said communities had welcomed the refugees back.
- The Times
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