Several international organizations established themselves in the north of Limpopo Province and on the border with Zimbabwe, to render emergency assistance to Zimbabwean citizens fleeing the country.

At Beit Bridge and in Musina, the international organization Save the Children has been involved for quite some time in rendering assistance to unaccompanied children from Zimbabwe found destitute in South Africa. The number of children crossing the border considerably increased as tension in Zimbabwe mounted. Both the Danish and the British branches of Save the Children are active – the former at the Beit Bridge centre of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the latter in Musina.

The programme manager of Save the Children (UK) stationed in Musina, Mr Mandla Motshsweni, said in an interview last Friday that his organization’s focus is not so much on providing practical aid to the children, than on assisting organizations delivering such practical aid.

In Louis Trichardt, the Jesuit Refugees Service (JRS) opened an emergency relief centre for all refugees. It has been operational since March, to supply practical emergency aid, food parcels, clothes and blankets. JRS is an international organization founded by the Jesuit Order of the Roman Catholic Church. It operates in 50 countries worldwide and has been active in South Africa for the past 10 years.

Ms Thandi Hadebe from the local centre called on members of the Louis Trichardt community and especially businesses to assist them with donations of food, warm clothes and blankets. She can be contacted at 015 516 3066 or on 072 513 8817.