Number of migrants in refuges shrinks to 5 800 from 20 000
by Jean Yung and Michelle Jones, Cape Times, 3 July 2008
The city’s Disaster Management Centre says an estimated 5 800 displaced African expatriates remain in places of safety, down from an estimated 20 000 at the height of the xenophobic attacks.
Head of the centre Greg Pillay says the city has spent R70 million on relief efforts.
Some of the expatriates are staying in temporary camps - 620 at Youngsfield, 440 at Blue Waters, 430 at Harmony Park near Gordons Bay, and 130 at Silverstream on the West Coast, according to staff at the camps.
The rest are being accommodated in municipal halls and on private properties, such as churches and mosques.
At the Chrysalis Academy in Tokai, where 165 expatriates are being accommodated, the displaced people and volunteers were upset when the provincial government took over responsibility for the supply of food two days ago.
Volunteers had been cooking three meals a day, using a kitchen at the academy. Now the expatriates are receiving the same food as those in safety camps.
“The food has obviously changed and people were frustrated, but it’s wrong to tempt them with stuff they cannot afford when they leave here - it creates expectations,” Chrysalis chief executive Nomfundo Matroos said.
A Muslim relief organisation, Mustadafin Foundation, was feeding 3 600 people a day, down from 12 000 four weeks ago, spokesperson Alia Lambada said.
The organisation allocated R5 for breakfast and R12 for supper for each person each day and had spent more than R1m, Lambada said.
The SA National Zakáh Fund has spent about R1 million.
The Salvation Army has spent about R250 000 on blankets, food and petrol, while Historically Disadvantaged Individuals Support is feeding 1 700 people, down from 7 600 a few weeks ago.
