Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi

Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi

Hundreds of foreign nationals that were moved to a temporary shelter in Noordwyk, north of Johannesburg yesterday, said they felt more safe at the Rabbie Ridge police station where they were previously kept.

"We were just dumped in this open veld. The place is cold and dark," said Anna Khoza.

She said the Gauteng local government had promised them that the shelters had electricity, running water and showers.

"Those things are nowhere to be seen. They lied to us in order to get us out of the police station," she said.

A Grade 12 pupil from Kwazi Adult Centre in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, Fernanda Sithole said it was better at the police station because there was electricity and she could study.

"June examinations are around the corner. How am I expected to do my studies in the dark?" she asked.

Three buses were used to transported them to the tents. Each tent can accommodate up to five people.

Ginoka Khoza, a mother of a two-month-old baby said: "I am worried how I will be able to change my baby's nappies at night," she said. "What if he gets sick. What would I do?"

Noordwyk residents also accused the government of not consulting them when they erected tents in their area.

Xoliswa Ntsinde said a car with a loud speaker called them to an urgent meeting at 1pm.

"Our government is disrespectful and undermining us," she fumed. "They just told us what they were going to do. They did not ask for our views about the new developments."

Earlier, local government MEC Qedani Mahlangu had told journalists in Midrand that local residents were not consulted because the main focus was to get foreign nations out of police stations.