South Africa continues to be the final destination of choice for many asylum seekers throughout the African continent. Most flock to the urban centres of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town seeking refuge from conditions in their home country. Some are looking for the opportunity to rebuild their lives and begin anew. However, the challenges faced are daunting and many fall victim to abuse, exploitation, xenophobia and crime. These same challenges make adequate response by concerned individuals, churches, religious congregations and other humanitarian organisations increasingly difficult and complex. To face these challenges, networking among all stakeholders, including the government of South Africa and UNHCR is essential. Sisters of Mercy are playing a role in the response.
The refugees in South Africa come from most regions of Africa, including such distant countries as Somalia and Ethiopia. However, at this time, the flow of asylum seekers from Zimbabwe, a country just across the northern border is of most immediate concern. Reliable figures on the number of Zimbabweans is very difficult to obtain as most cross the border without documents, do not approach the South African authorities for papers, and move back and forth across the border to supply goods for their families back home. Estimates range from 1 million to 5 million. Most of the Zimbabweans entering the country are young men looking for work to support their families. However, as the situation in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate more women, children and families are arriving in South Africa. Organisations, including the Catholic Church, are preparing for the possibility of a mass movement of people if violence breaks out following the parliamentary and presidential elections set for 29th March. In recent months, international NGOs, including Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), World Food Programme (WFP) and Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) opened facilities near the border to respond to the current situation.
Reliable access to the basic needs of food and shelter is a great problem for all refugees and asylum seekers in the country. Unlike the other countries in the region, South Africa does not place refugees into camps. This is an advantage because the refugees are allowed to move freely about the country. However, there is also a downside. Shelter and food are not as reliably available as in the refugee camps. Shelter for refugees is at a critically low level in most of the urban areas and many are living in dangerous conditions or out in the open. Sufficient space, especially for families, is just not available.
The laws in South Africa give refugees the right to health care and children’s education just like any South African citizen. However, while the law is clear, implementation is poor. Advocacy is important to secure access to services for refugees, to offer legal advice, and to work with the Ministry of Home Affairs to facilitate documentation for asylum seekers and refugees. The wait for papers is a harrowing experience requiring days standing in queues afraid to leave one’s place.
How are the Sisters of Mercy involved in responding to the plight of the refugees? One extremely important contribution is the provision of shelter. Sisters of Mercy operate shelters in Pretoria and in Johannesburg which are open to refugees when space is available. One of the shelters for women and children has been particularly important for safe housing for women who are pregnant or who have a small child. Sisters of Mercy have, over the past ten years, provided administrative, fund raising, and other technical skills to the operations of Jesuit Refugee Service in South Africa and in other countries in the southern Africa region. Sisters served as Country Director in South Africa and, currently, as Regional Director and Programmes Officer for JRS Southern Africa.
In South Africa JRS assists refugees with education, counselling, access to health care, a programme providing home based care for the chronically ill, emergency assistance, and activities to move refugees towards self reliance, including vocational training, evaluation of credentials by South African authorities, and micro-credit loans.
Perhaps the most meaningful contribution made by the Sisters of Mercy is their genuine concern for the plight of the refugees and their efforts to redress the injustices done. A story illustrates this point. One of the Sisters from Rosebank Convent was walking in the area and a young man carrying a child stopped her to ask the location of the police station. Sister offered to walk with him to the police and during the short walk he told her that he and the child were from Zimbabwe. They were going to the police because his wife, the child’s mother, had been stopped by the police and, because she did not have her documents with her, was jailed. To have someone listen, to go out of her way, and to offer prayers for the situation supports the refugees, respects their dignity, and brings consolation in their struggle.
Joanne Whitaker rsm
South African Province
