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3 June 2008

Gauteng municipalities and ward councillors will next week hold a special meeting on the re-integration of foreign nationals into South African communities

This was announced at a media briefing by the Gauteng Premier, Mbhazima Shilowa on Tuesday.

"The provincial government will meet with all municipalities on 12 June to chart a way in which we would re-integrate those displaced by the xenophobic attacks," the Premier said.

Shilowa, accompanied by Social Development MEC, Kgomotso Lekgoro and Local Government MEC, Qedani Mahlangu, told journalists the provincial government was satisfied with the overall government efforts to deal with the disaster created by the displacements.

The brutal attacks claimed 53 lives, nine of whom were South Africans. It was initially estimated that more than 20 000 people were displaced by the attacks in Gauteng but the latest figures indicate that the number is around 10 000 people.

The government's plan, led by the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on xenophobic attacks, is three-pronged. This includes:

* ending the violence and stabilising the situation in affected areas
* attending to the humanitarian relief and providing for the basic needs of the displaced persons; and
* the creation of necessary conditions for the reintegration of displaced persons back into their communities.

Shilowa praised the security agencies efforts in stabilising areas affected by the xenophobic attacks, saying "the (tense) situation has calmed down considerably" and that no recent incidents had been reported to the authorities. "This is no doubt due to the increased visibility of the police and the support of other law enforcement agencies," the Premier said.

Over the weekend, the government began the challenging task of providing temporary accommodation to those who fled the attacks. "This is because the conditions in those places (public buildings) are not suitable for people to live in," said the Premier.

Shilowa said the IMC-led relocation process of setting up several sites in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni is in progress. By Monday, more than 2 000 foreign nationals had been moved from various police stations and town halls around Gauteng to the following sites.

* Corlett Gardens
* Country View; and
* Rand Airport.

The temporary shelter that was to be set up at Vickers Road was to be dis-established due to security and structural concerns. "We were advised by those managing the relocation process that the shelter was not 100 percent secure. The IMC decided to err on the side of caution and seek an alternative relocation site," Premier Shilowa said.

The Premier said he had not yet received any interdict, despite media reports, from any organisation opposed to the relocation or humanitarian situations at the identified shelters. He added that the government was doing all within its power to ensure that the temporary shelters met international standards for humanitarian assistance. He also reassured residents staying near the temporary shelters that the situation was not permanent but expected to last for about two months. "There are no efforts or attempts to prolong the foreign nationals stay at those places," he said.

He further thanked local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs); Chapter nine institutions; the private sector and international organisations for assisting with food and blankets for the displaced, but added that more could be done with better co-ordination.

The government hopes to successfully relocate the remaining 8 000 people by the end of this week.

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government
3 June 2008
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gpg.gov.za/)