Some of the foreign nationals who have been moved from the Central Methodist Church in Cape Town are unhappy about their new accommodation.
The group is now living in a marquee tent in Bellville, near Cape Town.
Spokesperson Caroline Shembe says the tent is already overcrowded and it is difficult to sleep.
The foreign nationals want President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in the matter.
Shembe says they are now more exposed to the coronavirus than inside the church they were removed from on Thursday.
Below is a report on the relocation of the foreign nationals:
Hundreds of foreign nationals have been staying at the Methodist Church in the inner city and on the pavements of Greenmarket Square in squalor since the end of 2019.
Some of the foreigners are camping near the Central Police Station in Buitekant Street.
As part of the national response to contain the spread and mitigate the impact of #COVID19, @The_DSD has activated shelters and in some cases established new shelters to provide meals and accommodation to homeless people and children during the #LockdownSA pic.twitter.com/unUaChlf9y
— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) April 1, 2020
The City of Cape Town says the current living conditions of the foreign nationals are in violation of the lockdown regulations. Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith says the group cannot live in such appalling conditions.
“We will well then also have to remove the people from Paint City as photographs from there clearly demonstrate that the lockdown regulations are being violated and people have been packed on-top of each other.”
