The Glenwood Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP) cleaning team removed belongings left by a group of displaced foreign nationals in Bulwer Park in Durban on Wednesday.
Glenwood UIP security services intend to install a high-end rotating camera in Bulwer Park to monitor crime and potential land grabs. The installation of the camera will depend on internet connectivity and will take place following Tuesday's incident when a group of displaced foreign nationals sought shelter in Bulwer Park.
This group, which included women and children, was located in a camp near the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) refugee reception center in Durban, situated on Che Guevara Street.
Refugees in Bulwer Park
On Tuesday, DHA transported 278 people by bus from sidewalks near the center to the Lindela resettlement center in Gauteng. It was reported that the group, having decided to remain in Durban, feared arrest by the police and/or attacks from anti-immigrant movements if they continued sleeping on the sidewalks.
Katrin Ailette from the Durban Cares group noted that both people and law enforcement did not understand why the displaced foreign nationals who did not board buses to Gauteng ended up in Bulwer Park. Her team managed to move 139 men, 24 children, and 56 women from Bulwer Park to various shelters, and some were handed over to their families.
Ailette explained that Bulwer Park was used as a meeting point because it was nearby and a public space. The city needed to clear Che Guevara Street for cleaning. They were there for temporary logistics planning, registration, and determining next steps. However, the community misunderstood the situation, believing they were moving into the park.
Integration Strategy in Communities
Ailette also reported that the displaced foreign nationals were caught in the rain and used tarpaulins to cover themselves and their belongings. She stated that the land grab unit demanded the removal of the tarpaulins during the rain under threat of arrest, claiming they were creating structures. She added that they would develop a strategy for their integration back into local communities and that a safe place for meetings and aid planning would soon be needed. She emphasized that they are still in contact with them, and they are managing independently, and they hope to help them return to normal life.
Glenwood Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP) Manager Notile Mkhize explained that Bulwer Park is within the UIP and includes important facilities such as Umbilo library, a public outdoor gym, the KwaZulu-Natal Society of Arts (KZNSA), the KZN Institute of Architects, and the office of Ward Councillor eTekvini.
Mkhize stated that UIP hires permanent guards around the clock from Thursday to Sunday to prevent alcohol abuse and other antisocial behavior. It is planned to extend this service to seven days a week during the December holidays so that the park can be used as intended. She also mentioned that together with Ward Councillor Fran Christopher, measures were taken to remove blankets, tents, and general debris left after the incident, and the park is now clean.
Impact on Business
Christopher reported that the children's play area in the park was fenced off, but the rest of the park remained open. She clarified that the entire park would not be fenced off because Glenwood UIP security services patrol the area around the clock. She denied reports of phone theft from one of the displaced foreign nationals, who were citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Uganda, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
Kevin Naidu, General Manager of Stella Sports Club restaurant, noted that a security issue arose when a group of people started entering the premises to use the restrooms. He reported that there was a communication error regarding the availability of these facilities, and he had to close the gates to protect visitors. He expressed relief about the situation being resolved and shelter being available for the people, noting that he lost several customers due to the partial road closure for several hours.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Mhlanga Ntuli visited the Department of Home Affairs Reception Center on Friday. Foreign nationals informed Ntuli that they were seeking safe shelter from intimidation by South Africans, citing threats. Ntuli stated that the integration of those willing to do so would significantly strengthen social cohesion and improve relations between locals and immigrants. However, after the group left Bulwer Park, their location was not publicly disclosed for fear that they might be attacked by anti-immigrant groups.