By Justice Zhou.
Johannesburg. (News Of The South) – Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s party on Tuesday pleaded with authorities to reconsider planned eviction of hundreds of refugees from a church in downtown Johannesburg.
The Central Methodist Church will force about 500 homeless mostly Zimbabwe nationals to leave the building by 31 December and seek alternative shelter.
“We understand the reasoning behind the sad move but still feel that throwing people onto the street is against the values of humanity and Christianity,” Wangu Mazodze, MDC-T South Africa spokesperson, told News of the South.
‘’We pray that the church leadership will reconsider their decision. We will do our best to assist, resources permitting.”
Refugees have been housed there since 2008 with the help of Bishop Paul Verryn following the xenophobic attacks which occurred when crisis in Zimbabwe had reached its peak.
However, Mazodze said this was just a temporary solution and asked the South African government to help resolve the political situation in what he termed “our failed state whose economy is collapsing onto their country.”
“We are grateful to the church and Bishop Paul Verryn in particular,” he added
According to local media reports, Verryn said many people were already leaving the church to find accommodation elsewhere.
It comes after Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in 2013 also closed an emergency intervention project it had setup at the church for Zimbabwean migrants, saying the situation had improved.
MSF says it stepped in because people were scared to go to clinics and health facilities were not ready to receive them during the xenophobic attacks.
As many as many 4 000 migrants were estimated to have been living in and around the church in 2008.
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