While calm has been restored in parts of Kwa-Zulu Natal where xenophobic violence created chaos on Tuesday, NGO’s are getting involved by assisting refugees. The Al-Imdaad Foundation has been assisting foreign nationals who have been affected by the recent xenophobic attacks in Durban over the past week and a half.

Disaster response co-ordinator in KZN, Abed Karrim said many of the victims have been moved to Isipingo beach sports field and have been housed in tents. Violence has escalated across KZN and has seen more than a thousand having to be housed on the field.

“The latest report that we are receiving is that more attacks are taking place in Greenwood Park in Durban, where over 200 foreign nationals are being kept for safety,” said Karrim.

The Al- Imdaad foundation has responded through the disaster management of eThekwini City. Some of the much needed interventions that they have been doing includes assisting the victims with mattresses, blankets and hygiene packs.

Karrim said that these are much needed necessities to make them comfortable as they have had to flee their homes to places of safety.

The Al-Imdaad Foundation has also moved into Greenwood Park where they have been supplying more victims with mattresses and blankets.

Karrim pledged his thanks to the community especially the Muslim community for their support and donations to assist those in need. Many volunteers have been assisting in the cooking of food for lunch and supper, while the organization has been providing the masses with breakfast.

Meanwhile, the Somali association in the Western Cape, Mohamed Aden Osman said that they are disappointed that South Africans are still treating foreign nationals in the manner in which they do.

“There is room for improvement from the government, they need to explain and educate South Africans and tell them that these African people are the same people who assisted South Africans during the struggle of Apartheid,” said Aden Osman.

He believes Africans have as much right to live in South Africa as other ethnicities do and that they have the right to be protected. He said that more emphasis should be placed against those who break the law especially those in authority, who deliberately hurt foreign nationals.

“We need the government especially the ruling party the ANC who was hosted in our countries to educate their people, because the people who are attacking us foreign nationals are their supporters,” said Osman.

He reiterated his call for zero tolerance for those who break the law and again appealed to the government of South Africa to deal with xenophobia harshly. VOC (Imogen Vollenhoven)