By Tichaona Sibanda.
14 November 2006

Nearly 100 Zimbabwean refugees sheltered at the Methodist Church in central Johannesburg , South Africa have up to Thursday afternoon to pack their bags and vacate the premises. Most are asylum seekers who were part of a larger group of about a thousand Zimbabweans temporarily sheltered at the church since last year. But many left the church as pressure grew within the community for them to be evicted following violent clashes that left about two people dead.

Thuso Khumalo, a journalist based in Johannesburg said the decision to evict the remaining refugees was taken at a church service last weekend.

And it has been widely viewed as ‘xenophobic’.

It’s reported some church elders threatened to cut the power supply, water and other essential services to the building. Some church members have accused the refugees of being disobedient and violent. Others allege that there is a lot of prostitution going on at the church. According to Khumalo, the refugees vehemently dismissed these claims as baseless and unfounded. He visited the church on Tuesday and was told by the refugees that Bishop Paul Verryn has tried in vain to persuade the church to give them time to find alternative accomodation.

Khumalo said: ‘The refugees want to thank Bishop Verryn for all that he did for them but they realise he is fighting a losing battle against the church community,’ As it stands they have nowhere else to go but out onto the streets where they face the danger of being rounded-up by the police.

Khumalo said: ‘All the refugees have no legal documentation to remain in the country and they now face the danger of being arrested and deported back to Zimbabwe . But they have vowed to evade capture saying they would rather struggle than go back to a brutal regime.”