Schubart Park Eviction - Pat Finlay

 Pat Finlay has provided more coverage of the Schubart Park Eviction saga.

Her message continues after the break

"I have since (the last post) held some informal interviews which I will use for further comment soon.

The most pressing need for now is that some of the churches have closed their doors (apparently for good reason), consequently leaving many women and children on the street again.

I spoke with some of the women (and men) who are somewhat distraught. Fortunately, some have been able to “shack up” with relatives and friends, whose homes are also somewhat overcrowded now. One woman said that she and her son sleep in the dining room.  However, many have not been so fortunate. As I listened to their woes, I realised how little I or anyone else could do other than to make endless phone calls, all to no avail. They had made numerous attempts to contact officials at the Department of Housing (even specific people) without any success. They had also called the municipality. However, they did manage to reach the social workers, but were told to go to the building near me. That is where I happened to meet them, pleading for some form of assistance. No officials were available to assist them.  

One woman told how her goods had been looted and that all that was left consisted of that which no one wanted. Another woman, chorused by others, vented her anger about foreigners receiving assistance and pointed to a family hastily making their way into the building where they (one of the 365 families)have  been granted a rented apartment during the last couple of days. “We must be helped first, not the foreigners!”, she shouted, and echoed by others, with such desperation. Once again, the issue of xenophobia raises its head.

I attempted to call many different humanitarian organisations, without any success. The Lawyers for Human Rights are working hard to secure accommodation for the evacuees, with little success. The shelters all appear to be filled to capacity (and possibly beyond), irrespective of race, ethnicity, creed or gender.

Many people are afraid to assist because of possible excessive demands and not knowing whether the people might be criminals. Also, the law does not appear to uphold the rights of owners of property. I will raise this issue again in the light of the responses from people so far and once I have further information.

They were left to fend for themselves for the night, with the hope that someone might be able to assist them on the morrow.  "

Here are a few links that will give the reader some background information to the evacuation saga.
These photographs depict a vivid story of the recent events

http://www.jacarandafm.com/kagiso/content/en/jacaranda/jacaranda-news?oid=1379859&sn=Detail&pid=399938&Schubart-Park-evacuation--Photo-Gallery

http://www.tshwane.gov.za/AboutTshwane/NewsandEvents/news/Pages/Schubart-Park-Judgement.aspx

http://www.lhr.org.za/news/2011/schubart-park-residents-spend-weekend-streets-despite-city%E2%80%99s-promises

http://thenewage.co.za/blogdetail.aspx?mid=186&blog_id=1336

http://www.pen.org.za/1/category/breaking%20news/1.html

http://196.35.152.175/news/a/771c5900486fde6783e1d7bc6b3aba18/Another-night-on-streets-beckons-for-Schubart-Park-residents-20110923

http://news.za.msn.com/evicted-schubart-park-tenants-rough-it

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Concourt-dismisses-Schubart-Park-appeal-20111006