“I have lost everything. I don’t even have any shoes. All I have are the clothes on my back. People were being beaten and I just fled for my life.” These were the heart-wrenching words of Albert Sithole, a Mozambican national.
He is one of more than 40 foreign nationals seeking refuge at the Maurice Benjamin Hall (also known as the Cheron Road tennis court) in Greenwood Park following the xenophobic attacks over the Easter weekend. On Monday, local ward councillor, Deochand Ganesh, confirmed that foreigners from the Siyathuthuka Informal Settlement were attacked and sought refuge at the Greenwood Park Police Station.
They were moved to the hall on Tuesday.
This act of xenophobic violence is followed by similar conflict in Isipingo, where more than 120 refugees were pelted with stones and chased from their homes last week. The tension and conflict has now since spread to Durban North, Springfield Park and Reservoir Hills. According to Sithole, two people were shot and killed at a Reservoir Hills informal settlement.
Another refugee, Nelson Namposa, said that he witnessed people being attacked with both hammers and knives. “They attacked everyone. They even jumped through windows to reach them. I am angry. I feel traumatized and have lost everything. I can’t go back. I know they will kill me,” he said.
Eighteen-year-old Edward Zakaria, who fled from a Springfield Park informal settlement, also told the Northglen News that the attackers wore balaclavas during the onslaught. “They were killing people and stealing their stuff. It is not right. We have been here since yesterday. We have no home and very little clothes. Everyone is terrified that they will come here. I desperately want to go back to Mozambique, but I have nothing,” he said.
The attacks were motivated by locals’ fear of the foreigners exploiting jobs and houses within the area.
What’s more, the controversy surrounding the nationals has deepened after residents demanded their removal this afternoon. The community, expressing concern for their own safety, has called for the refugees to be moved to the Greenwood Park Community Hall.
“There has been no communication between the the civic organisations and the community. It has just become a dumping ground for any nonsense,” said Michael Stuart of the Greenwood Park, Effingham, Avoca and Redhill Forum.
A resident, who did not want to be named was equally disgruntled by the foreigners’ presence. “They did this without consulting the community, but it affects all of us. There are children walking home from school and we need to think of the community’s safety. We can’t sit back and allow this to happen,” she said.
At 2pm residents barred the entrance to the hall when a police van arrived to deliver more foreign nationals to find refuge at the facility.
