Cape Town - The spokesperson for one of the refugee factions Jean-Pierre Balous (JP) will be appearing in the Cape Town magistrate’s Court on Friday morning after his arrest for assaulting a fellow refugee earlier in the week.
After being holed up in the Central Methodist Mission church in Cape Town’s Greenmarket Square, Balous was arrested on Wednesday and is to be charged with assault on Friday.
Members of the refugee community from Greenmarket Square have planned a demonstration outside the courts from 9am.
On Thursday the City of Cape Town's health officials have been denied access to the Central Methodist Church by one faction of refugees as they tried to intervene after word spread that several children have been affected by a chickenpox outbreak.
The anti JP group demonstrating outside the court. Picture: Mwangi Githahu
Mayco Member for Community Services and Health, Zahid Badroodien said, “The City’s Health Department heard that there were two children diagnosed with chicken pox in the church. Efforts to investigate the possibility of an outbreak of chicken pox developing have been unsuccessful thus far on the basis that group leader was not available.”
On Thursday, Badroodien said, “Health officials made it clear what health facilities are available in the vicinity, in case of need.”
“It is important to note that chickenpox is not a serious medical condition and its potential complications are also not serious. There is also no specific treatment recommended for the condition,” said Badroodien.
Chickenpox is an infectious disease causing a mild fever and a rash of itchy inflamed pimples which turn to blisters and then loose scabs. It is caused by the herpes zoster virus and mainly affects children.
The pro- JP group demonstrating outside the court. Picture: Mwangi Githahu
“I took six children who are suffering from chickenpox to the hospital this week where they were treated and given medication. I was also the one who reported to the health department and asked them to come and check on the situation in the church,” said JP’s former deputy and current leader of the Congolese community, Papy Sukami said.
Sukami said: “It is dirty, crowded and unhygienic in there and those conditions could start an epidemic.”
It is estimated about 100 refugees, mainly women and children are holed up inside the church while another 200 are dwelling in a makeshift tent city that has sprouted on the pavement outside the church and on Burg Street from the Square all the way up to the back entrance of the Food Lovers Market.