Treatment Action Campaign

I watched from a distance as the xenophobic violence unfolded in South Africa. At first, I was ashamed - Is this what our young democracy has become? My shame evolved to anger as the utter lack of leadership and inadequate government response further exacerbated the situation. However, amid these feelings of disgust, I also felt pride and admiration towards those proactive organizations who worked to alleviate the suffering of displaced peoples. The Jewish community and TAC paid for a group of around 140 refugees to stay at the train lodge until yesterday, when they ran out of funds. The mosque on Tennyson Street opened its doors to more than 180 refugees. Old TAC offices have been converted to refugee camps, and hundreds are staying in Methodist Churches around the city.

As of today, TAC and the Cape Town Jewish Community are unable to continue raising money to pay for the accommodation of the group known as the Caledon Square refugees (because they originally spent 3 days sleeping outside Caledon Square Police Station). This is after all the responsibility of the state not civil society or private individuals. The city has refused to open civic or community centres to shelter them, even though there are many that would be suitable in the Central Business District and its surrounding suburbs.

One day later, 13 June, 17:20 About 100 of the Caledon Square Group continue to sit in. They are being supported by about 25 TAC members. The city and province met for hours yesterday and again today, yet there is still no decision on what to do. It's quite absurd. From Sunday morning, the the whole Caledon Square Group has absolutely nowhere to go. --Nathan Geffen

18:20 I have now left the Civic Centre, but will try to provide further updates if their are any development regarding the continuing occupation of the building. --EG

17:42 It is a scandal that the Province and City could not establish a joint task team until now. After four hours of meetings, they have not even been able to open a single hall or offer the comrades from the Caledon Square Group accommodation. Therefore, the Caledon Square Group will stay here and spend the night in the Civic Centre. A group of TAC comrades will stay with them. Hopefully we will be able to bring food and blankets for the comrades who stay. It is truly shameful that the City and Province cannot do better than this. --EG

17:19 This is what Smit says:

• The City and Province have set up a joint task team — they are to have a workshop tomorrow to figure out a way forward;
• The issues are complex and they ask our patience and to allow them time to address them;
• On our other demands, they promise to address them tomorrow in the meetings of the new task team (his point is that the problem is a long-term one and there won't be any immediate solutions);
• They ask us to leave the building and, while they won't force us out, they will lock the doors for the night. (Are they seriously threatening to incarcerate us in the building without arresting us?). --Eduard Grebe

1. We demand that the all available places of shelter, including all those under control of both Province and City, are immediately opened. This includes Sea Point Civic Centre, Salt River Railway Institute, Woodstock Community Hall, Muizenberg Civic Centre, schools that are not in use and other government facilities.  
2. We demand immediate closure of camps. The camps are a serious health risk, have inadequate shelter and prevent people from going to work and school. People should be moved, on a voluntary basis, to safe community places, including the places mentioned above.
3. We support reintegration back into communities, people who want to be repatriated to their country of origin or resettled to a third country.
4. We demand that the UNHCR come in and assist with reintegration, repatriation and resettlement as they are obligated and mandated to.
5. We demand that the City and the Province establish a joint task team including the mayor, the premier and civil society to address the above demands.