Cape Town - Refugees housed at Paint City in Bellville say the City of Cape Town is endangering their lives after fencing around the facility was removed yesterday.
They say their lives are now at risk by minibus taxi drivers, who are using their facilities and threatening the lives of women and children.
Secretary general of the Women and Children at Concern (WCC) Organisation, Hafiz Mohammad said: “The biggest worry for us is the taxi drivers who are using our toilets. When our people tried to talk with them, they were shouting and going on. Things like they were going to kidnap our women and children and chase us away from here, were said. My questions to the City of Cape Town is who will be responsible if anything happens to our women and children? I asked one official the same question and he refused to answer me.”
Felicity Purchase, the Mayco Member for Transport said: “A contractor contracted by the City’s Transport Directorate removed the fence at Paint City yesterday. This followed after several failed attempts due to the refugees preventing the service provider from removing the speed fencing. This situation has been ongoing since April 9, 2021,” she said.
“The site occupied by the refugee tent has always been the Bellville Public Transport Interchange (PTI) holding area for minibus taxi operators. Thus, this site is intended for the use by public transport service providers, namely, the minibus taxis. The site was occupied by the refugee tent at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic without the City’s consent.
“(The) National Government is best placed to respond to the question about ablution facilities.”
The temporary shelter in Bellville became a makeshift refugee camp more than a year ago and was established under the Covid-19 Disaster Management Regulations during the hard lockdown. More than 500 refugees are living in the tent, including over 270 children after they were moved from the Central Methodist Church on Greenmarket Square.
Weekend Argus