Representatives of several international organizations visited Louis Trichardt last week to assess the growing emergency situation of destitute Zimbabweans arriving on foot from Beitbridge and Musina.

The number of refugees and migrants arriving in Louis Trichardt increased drastically after the highly controversial actions of the Department of Home Affairs and the Musina Local Municipality to forcefully remove destitute refugees from temporary shelters, without any effort to supply an alternative or to alleviate their plight in any way.

Individuals and groups of people, mostly from the rural areas in Zimbabwe, are arriving on a daily basis on foot, after a grueling 100km walk from Beitbridge and Musina. They are desperately trying to escape the enduring consequences of the devastated economy in their country. Their numbers include women, some with small babies, and unaccompanied children of school-going age.

Some have family or friends elsewhere in South Africa, but need money and transport to reach them. Others are stranded in town, with nowhere else to go. They need temporary shelter and compassionate assistance.

The local office of the Jesuit Refugee Services renders wide-ranging assistance, which includes food parcels, assistance with rental for temporary accommodation for vulnerable people and transport in some instances.

The Helping Hand South Africa runs a soup kitchen on the premises of Motor Town in Louis Trichardt.

The Roman Catholic Church in town serves meals on site at the assembly point and also runs a shelter for boys and a limited night shelter and drop-in centre. Several other church groups in town are also assisting and taking turns to provide at least one meal a day to these destitute visitors, on the site along the N1, where they arrive and sleep in the open.

An organized effort is afoot to find a suitable temporary night shelter. A site near the Elim crossing along the N1 is being investigated.

Representatives of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Red Cross and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees took notice of the situation in Louis Trichardt. The IOM this week moved to assist established local charities in their efforts to alleviate the desperate situation of the destitute people. On average, up to 150 people a day are in need of assistance.

A representative of the Red Cross indicated that his organization had taken note of the situation and was willing to assist.

In the meantime, a suitable night shelter for local destitute people is also being investigated.