SA police arrest Zimbabweans and the homeless at Methodist Church

By Tererai Karimakwenda
31 January, 2008

South African police on Wednesday raided the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg that has been sheltering Zimbabwean refugees, asylum seekers and homeless people. Some of the police were heavily armed as they stormed the church compound around midnight, claiming they were searching for drugs and guns. Although they found nothing they arrested 1500 homeless people. Many have been released without charge but an estimated 300-500 are still in police cells. They are due to appear in court on Friday.

Bishop Paul Verryn who runs the church and has sheltered Zimbabweans for years now, said the police had no search warrant and they used excessive force on the Bishop himself and some of his staff. He described how the police dragged him down the stairs at the church, destroyed and confiscated people’s property, and even stole money from the office. It was only when the press arrived that they calmed their behavior.

Verryn said those who are still in detention are being kept in a very overcrowded cell. Some have been harassed and assaulted. The Bishop said they had been given only 3 slices of bread to eat and no water, while the police are eating and having soft drinks within sight of them. Verryn said the Independent Complaints Commission has taken up the case and a battery of lawyers are also involved.

“The psychological trauma on some of these people is going to be tremendous, because some of them fear being deported back to Zimbabwe where they were being persecuted,” said Verryn. He added that the irony of the situation is that it was those who are supposed to uphold law and justice who smashed things and stole money.
The church building has served as an oasis for Zimbabweans who fled from the economic crisis and political persecution perpetrated by the Mugabe regime. Bishop Verryn has struggled hard to shelter and feed them without any assistance from the government of President Thabo Mbeki, who has refused to publicly acknowledge that there is a crisis in Zimbabwe.

South Africa’s police are known for their abuse and mistreatment of refugees and asylum seekers, especially Zimbabweans. They are accused of forcing bribes from illegal refugees who do not want to be deported. This practice is so common that Zimbabweans say the police call them “ATMs”, the dispensers of money.

We were not able to get comment from police officials.