The Musina Local Municipality has instructed local churches and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) assisting refugees to dismantle temporary shelters in the Nancefield area, which housed about 500 foreigners from Zimbabwe and Somalia.

The local authority’s communications officer, Mr Wilson Dzebu, said the decision was communicated to the affected stakeholders on Tuesday last week. “We have resolved to close the temporary shelters which housed foreign nationals, largely because the camps at which the refugees were staying posed as a health hazard. In fact, it came to our attention via the irked local community who expressed concerns over health, welfare, safety and security matters as a result of the development,” he said.

Dzebu said during the meeting with the Musina community it was alleged that some of the locals staying in areas adjacent to the camps had their property such as taps destroyed as they were used by refugees without the owners’ permission.

“It was then that the municipality undertook investigations and subsequently found that proper procedures had not been not followed when the temporary shelters were erected. We also found that issues pertaining to sanitation and environmental health were not adhered to and in some instances you would find the shelters having been erected on top of the sewerage mainline, which is totally against our municipal by-laws,” said the municipal spokesperson.

Dzebu reiterated that it was the duty of the local authority to ensure that the laws of the country were being followed and adhered to. He also added that the municipality would continue to engage in negotiations with the concerned stakeholders to find ways on how best the issue could be resolved amiably.

The affected foreigners are now scattered across the Musina town, with some now reportedly sleeping in surrounding bushy areas around the border town, following the destruction of their “camps”.

Scores of refugees, mostly from neighboring Zimbabwe, as well as Ethiopia and Somalia, continue to stream through Beit Bridge border post into Musina as they flee economic and political turmoil in their respective countries.

Some of the foreigners could be seen milling outside the Department of Home Affairs offices in Musina as they queued for documents, which would allow them to settle in the country legally for a period of six months while awaiting asylum permits.