Posts Tagged ‘disaster relief’
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.
More aid needed
Cape Times, 30 May 2008
AS THE tide of xenophobia swept thousands of foreigners from their homes and businesses in Cape Town, a strong outpouring of support from ordinary people rushed in.
An estimated 10 000 people have dropped off food and supplies at Red Cross in a week.
At the Treatment Action Campaign offices, more than 300 volunteers have turned up to sort and send 14 tons of food and blankets, three times a day, to the camps.
Said Mustadafin Foundation’s Alia Lambada said the organisation goes through 800kg meat, a ton of potatoes and onions and 400 loaves of bread every day to make lunch and dinner for 11 675 displaced foreigners.
“Now we are looking frantically for a place to store our donations and for people to help distribute the things,” said Lambada.
Mechanical engineer Richard Muller, who also leads a church in Du Noon, took it upon himself to organise relief for 264 Du Noon residents taken to Silverstream near Atlantis.
Alistair Moulton Black teaches a youth drama class in Masiphumelele.
When he heard from his students that mobs were planning attacks last Friday evening, he immediately gathered his friends who used their private vehicles to evacuate some of the 1 000 Zimbabweans and Somalis living in the area.
At His People Centre in Goodwood, houseworker Linda Dyantyi from Khayelitsha volunteers her time to play with the 120 children housed there.
And at Helderberg Distribution Point, where supplies were still desperately needed, Coenie van Niekerk had something to celebrate.
Two babies were born there in the last week.
“That is something good that’s come out of this,” said Van Niekerk.
“It gives us hope.”
Independent Newspapers, the parent company of the Cape Times, has established a fund to aid refugee relief efforts, and has kicked off the fund-raising initiative with a R250 000 donation. Funds collected will be donated to Gift of the Givers and the SA Red Cross for relief work. Donations to the fund can be made to: Independent Newspapers South Africa Cares; Standard Bank, branch number 041026; Account number 0000250914085.
