Ekurhuleni - The City of Ekurhuleni, following the recent outbreak of xenophobic attacks, has established two sites that are currently housing about 800 displaced foreign nationals, 588 adults and 227 children, the city said on Sunday.
The two sites, at DH Williams and Tsholo Hall in Katlehong, housed foreign nationals displaced from Mandela informal settlement and Nhlapo section in Katlehong, among other areas, the city said in a statement.
The city had subsequently activated the joint operation centre (JOC) to provide humanitarian and related assistance to the affected persons, as well as stabilising the security situation in the region. Various city departments were providing necessary support, such as waste removal, electricity supply, and additional ablution facilities.
The city was also providing standby mobile power generators, metro police patrols, and escorts for transport of the affected persons and delivery of their necessities.
Various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and humanitarian assistance organisations responded overwhelmingly to the humanitarian situation. Among those organisations, which were continuing to provide for the needs of the displaced persons, were Doctors without Borders, the Red Cross, and other local NGOs and churches. Assistance provided included food, medical services, blankets, mattresses, toys for the children, and sanitary material. Church services were also provided at the sites.
The situation was currently stabilising with few incidents being reported. Among the recently reported incidents, was the shooting of three individuals at Nhlapo section in Katlehong on Friday. The victims were admitted to hospital.
Plans to reintegrate the affected foreign nationals to places from which they were displaced were already in place, as well as plans to document those who were undocumented. Those who wanted to be repatriated to their countries of origin would be repatriated with the assistance of relevant government departments, the city statement said.