Responding to the xenophobic violence in Cape Town - May 2008

These are posts from the time period where the xenophobic response was at its most intense. It will give you a feel for what was happening and how we responded. We will post a more coherent report in the near future.

Click here for "Guidelines for Coordinators of accommodation sites"

Click here for information on debriefing and counselling.

UPDATE MAY 27, 4.00 pm

Work has carried on at the Warehouse today, as employees and volunteers work alongside one another to pack carloads full with provisions. Today, shipments have gone out to the Soetwater, Philippi, St. John's, Chrysalis, St. Philipp's, Youngsfield, and Somerset West housing facilities.

"As people grew tired, others stepped in," said Elizabeth Clack, Director of Training in Community Development. "Just as Joshua took over for Moses as he became weary.

"And, despite the fact that this crisis originated in xenophobia, we have people working and voluntering here from every type of background and nationality. Only God can do that."

We are also participating in an initiative to consolidate relevant information around the metropolitan area. At present, a team of IT specialists in the U.S. is developing a web-based program that will allow those involved in this response effort to access a real-time database of both resources and needs. Hopefully, this system will make efforts like ours as efficient and helpful as possible.

UPDATE MAY 26, 6.00 pm

With over 20,000 displaced persons throughout the metropolitan area, The Warehouse has become a key distribution center for human and material resources to facilities that are housing these staggering numbers. Throughout the day, 30+ volunteers helped to receive, sort, and package a variety of donations, including mattresses, food, blankets, and hygiene products.

These housing facilities, located in part in Youngfields, Zolani, Nyanga, and Chrysalis, have expressed a need for a sustained response of supplies and provisions (see our front page for a detailed list). Please pray for peace, health, and safety in these temporary settlments, as officials struggle to answer questions of rehabilitation and repatriation.

UPDATE 6.30 pm

There are now over 650 people that are being accomodated at Youngsfield Military Base and being looked after by Disaster Management. We will be receiving donations for these people and then taking them into the base as required as things are pretty sparce at present.

Soetwater near Kommetjie has also been setup as a site although it is a long way out of town. Donations for here can be directed to the Ocean View Police Station.

Churches and other community centres across the city are still accomodating small groups of people.

The churches in the city, especially those in the townships, are standing up against this. People in the townships are accomodating those without shelter and providing support and care. It is not only those in the suburbs.

UPDATE 2:10pm

Craig has just come back from Youngsfield and has this update. We are able to send some through to Youngsfield, but they are already starting to be overloaded. The Warehouse is now officially acting as a receiving point for all donation, and we will be shipping them out to other accommodation points. We are especially looking for;

Mattresses (however these are quite unlikely to be returned so consider a full donation)

Toilet rolls

Nappies

Toiletries

Blankets

Washing Basins

Baby food

We are expecting the churches to be our main accommodation points, so any church members who can give time, please either contact your church to see what you can do or the warehouse. We do need bodies, to be around and helping. Thank you.

Saturday Afternoon 2pm

We have had a great response so far, thanks to all who have donated and have been praying. We have about 40 people here, who are being looked after and feed. It seems the government is setting up 2 disaster relief areas, and the plan is to start moving the people into one of these areas at Youngsfield. It seems to have quieted down a bit for now, praise God. We are still prepared for anything to happen and we will keep posting updates through out the day. Please keep praying and donating, and if your not sure how you can help but want to, check the website or get in touch.

Friday evening 11pm

THINGS NEEDED

Blankets and sleeping bags

Mattresses and pillows

FOOD

Any food that we can serve instantly or with just hot water added or a
short heat up in the
microwave

Ready made sandwiches with nutritious fillings (not peanut butter and jam

as we can make thoseup here with donated ingredients)

Fruit: Bananas apples oranges- not soft fruit

Instant Porridge:
preferred brand: ACE Vanilla flavour

Cuppa soup

Fresh soup as we do have some gas stoves

Bread

Jars of peanut butter and jam

Ever-fresh milk

OTHER

Nappies

Baby wipes and face wipes

Toothpaste

Deodorant

Woman's sanitary ware

Toilet rolls

CURRENTLY WE DO NOT NEED CLOTHING

ACCOMMODATION

Please click on this link to find the centers were displaced reugees can go;

http://www.warehouse.org.za/accommodation

Friday evening 8pm

We're busy setting ourselves up as a staging point for people fleeing

from attacks or the fear of attacks. If you are able to help here are some

of the ways that you can.

1. Provide accomodation -in your church, your home, your school. If you can do this please let

us know at 021 761 1168. We have no idea what the need will be

but we are beginning to receive requests.

2. Come and assist at The Warehouse. We need help caring for people

as well as helping with the logistics of finding accomodation and getting

people there.

3. Donations of mattresses, food and the like. We will act as a

coordinating place for this.

4. Pray at home or come to The Warehouse and pray here.

5. Helping move people to where they need to be.
Please contact us telephonically 021 761 1168 or via email

crisisresponse@warehouse.org.za if
you can help.

6. Prepare meals to distribute to families being sheltered
We will try and keep this web page updated as best we can.

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Responding to the xenophobic violence in Cape Town - May 2008

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Today, shipments have gone out to the Soetwater, Philippi, St. John's, Chrysalis, St. Philipp's, Youngsfield, and Somerset West housing facilities. "As people grew tired, others stepped in," said Elizabeth Clack, Director of Training in Community Development. "Just as Joshua took over for Moses as he became weary. "And, despite the fact that this crisis originated in xenophobia, we have people working and voluntering here from every type of background and nationality. Only God can do that." We are also participating in an initiative to consolidate relevant information around the metropolitan area. At present, a team of IT specialists in the U.S. is developing a web-based program that will allow those involved in this response effort to access a real-time database of both resources and needs. Hopefully, this system will make efforts like ours as efficient and helpful as possible. UPDATE MAY 26, 6.00 pm With over 20,000 displaced persons throughout the metropolitan area, The Warehouse has become a key distribution center for human and material resources to facilities that are housing these staggering numbers. Throughout the day, 30+ volunteers helped to receive, sort, and package a variety of donations, including mattresses, food, blankets, and hygiene products. These housing facilities, located in part in Youngfields, Zolani, Nyanga, and Chrysalis, have expressed a need for a sustained response of supplies and provisions (see our front page for a detailed list). Please pray for peace, health, and safety in these temporary settlments, as officials struggle to answer questions of rehabilitation and repatriation. UPDATE 6.30 pm There are now over 650 people that are being accomodated at Youngsfield Military Base and being looked after by Disaster Management. We will be receiving donations for these people and then taking them into the base as required as things are pretty sparce at present. Soetwater near Kommetjie has also been setup as a site although it is a long way out of town. Donations for here can be directed to the Ocean View Police Station. Churches and other community centres across the city are still accomodating small groups of people. The churches in the city, especially those in the townships, are standing up against this. People in the townships are accomodating those without shelter and providing support and care. It is not only those in the suburbs. UPDATE 2:10pm Craig has just come back from Youngsfield and has this update. We are able to send some through to Youngsfield, but they are already starting to be overloaded. The Warehouse is now officially acting as a receiving point for all donation, and we will be shipping them out to other accommodation points. We are especially looking for; Mattresses (however these are quite unlikely to be returned so consider a full donation) Toilet rolls Nappies Toiletries Blankets Washing Basins Baby food We are expecting the churches to be our main accommodation points, so any church members who can give time, please either contact your church to see what you can do or the warehouse. We do need bodies, to be around and helping. Thank you. Saturday Afternoon 2pm We have had a great response so far, thanks to all who have donated and have been praying. We have about 40 people here, who are being looked after and feed. It seems the government is setting up 2 disaster relief areas, and the plan is to start moving the people into one of these areas at Youngsfield. It seems to have quieted down a bit for now, praise God. We are still prepared for anything to happen and we will keep posting updates through out the day. Please keep praying and donating, and if your not sure how you can help but want to, check the website or get in touch. Friday evening 11pm THINGS NEEDED Blankets and sleeping bags Mattresses and pillows FOOD Any food that we can serve instantly or with just hot water added or a short heat up in the microwave Ready made sandwiches with nutritious fillings (not peanut butter and jam as we can make thoseup here with donated ingredients) Fruit: Bananas apples oranges- not soft fruit Instant Porridge: preferred brand: ACE Vanilla flavour Cuppa soup Fresh soup as we do have some gas stoves Bread Jars of peanut butter and jam Ever-fresh milk OTHER Nappies Baby wipes and face wipes Toothpaste Deodorant Woman's sanitary ware Toilet rolls CURRENTLY WE DO NOT NEED CLOTHING ACCOMMODATION Please click on this link to find the centers were displaced reugees can go; http://www.warehouse.org.za/accommodation Friday evening 8pm We're busy setting ourselves up as a staging point for people fleeing from attacks or the fear of attacks. If you are able to help here are some of the ways that you can. 1. Provide accomodation -in your church, your home, your school. If you can do this please let us know at 021 761 1168. We have no idea what the need will be but we are beginning to receive requests. 2. Come and assist at The Warehouse. We need help caring for people as well as helping with the logistics of finding accomodation and getting people there. 3. Donations of mattresses, food and the like. We will act as a coordinating place for this. 4. Pray at home or come to The Warehouse and pray here. 5. Helping move people to where they need to be. Please contact us telephonically 021 761 1168 or via email crisisresponse@warehouse.org.za if you can help. 6. Prepare meals to distribute to families being sheltered We will try and keep this web page updated as best we can. login to post comments Back Home	South Africa is one of the most economically unequal societies in the world Unemployment exceeds 40% in many Cape Town communities HIV infection rates are around 30% in Cape Town Read Ezekiel 16. 49-50 Who's online There are currently 0 users and 0 guests online. [login]