Displaced people happy in Hurlingham Park

The head of Displaced Persons Sub-Unit in the City of Johannesburg Department of Social Development Kebonye Senna has provided an overview of the situation of displaced people in Hurlingham Park.

According to Senna, the unit has played a significant role in helping these displaced people attain legal documentation and work permits.

“A total of about 400 displaced persons were counted, the majority of which were undocumented Lesotho nationals, a few Mozambicans and Zimbabweans,” said Senna.

“Only 227 were interested in the social development services and were screened and registered for further interventions. The registration period took about three weeks in the evenings and on Sundays. The process was, however, disrupted by other departments who were eager to get the park fenced off and as a result, some of the [displaced people] relocated to the current hotspot and others spread throughout the area.”

Senna reiterated that the department’s mandate was not to forcefully remove displaced persons from land they occupied but rather to provide alternatives to those who were willing to be assisted through programmes such as shelter placement.

She said the displaced people made it clear that they did not want to be placed in a shelter or provided with any other alternative. “The City of Johannesburg is in the process of developing a homeless strategy which will be inclusive of all City departments.”

However, Pastor Ndaba Mazabane of the Union Church said the church had welcomed the displaced people. “We engaged with a number of departments about the issue of the displaced people next to the church in Hurlingham Park and nothing much was done, ” he said.

“Instead, I have a session with them every Tuesday evening. We go through the scriptures together and we have supper together. Normally, I host 12 to 15 of them.”

Related articles:

https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/237243/entities-seek-solutions-for-displaced-people/

https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/233166/concerns-raised-about-displaced-people-living-on-private-property/