Cape Town refugees 'not safe'
2007-04-17 11:23
Philippi - "I'm very scared. Please don't take my photograph and publish it. They will kill me."
These were the words of a terrified Tabi Lumuna, a former resident of the refugee shelter Bon Esperance, on Monday.
The shelter provides a safe haven for refugees (women and children) from several conflict-torn African countries. Lumuna came from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
She says gang members in Hanover Park are tormenting her and other women from the shelter.
"I have been robbed so many times that I now carry a plastic bag to work. I have also changed from day shift to night shift and reported it to the police, but they just gave me a letter. They don't care."
'I'm terrified'
Kapinga Therese, also from the DRC, told how her money was stolen.
"I was on my way to buy bread. A man grabbed my hand and took the money. I'm terrified," she said.
The cellphone of Mascilina Mafuale, also from the DRC, was stolen. For fear of victimisation she didn't want to send her 10-year-old son to school on Monday.
This followed after co-pupils at the Voorspoed Primary School in Hanover Park attacked 14 refugee children after school on March 30. This incident might have been related to xenophobia.
Some of the children were tied up, beaten with sticks, stones and bottles and even threatened with knives. The children have apparently also been attacked in the school's toilets by co-pupils.
"The children say the pupils search their pockets and some of them are threatened with knives. Apparently it happens regularly," said Mafuale.
Rodney Theys, the principal at Voorspoed, visited Bon Esperance on Monday. "I can understand why some children don't attend school. They are terribly traumatised. We will look into security measures to ensure these children can walk home safely."
Some of the attackers have been identified. The youngest one is in Grade 1.
According to Gert Witbooi, spokesperson for Western Cape Education Minister Cameron Dugmore, the incident would be investigated on Tuesday. "We will contact the families and school and steps will be taken against the pupils (attackers)."