Visiting a Refugee Camp for Victims of Xenophobic Violence in Johannesburg, June 28th, 2008

Recently, South Africa has experienced an internal refugee due to the xenophobic violence in May. 1000s of families from all over Africa have been displaced with their homes destroyed and lives traumatized by the violence. While the response of the government was tepid at best, many individuals and organisations have responded to the crisis with exceptional generosity and compassion. Although the immediate need has been for safety, shelter, and food, there is also the need for emotional relief to ease the feeling of isolation, fear, and depression that has arisen in the camps.

 

Send in the clowns! In early June, Gavin Stockden from CWB South Africa visited 5 refugee camps in Durban performing for both children and adults. Last Saturday, before we headed off to Lesotho for a 2-week expedition, Delia Meyer, Sibongile Tsoanyane, and I had the opportunity to bring laughter and emotional relief to about 200 children at a camp in Booysens, just south of Johannesburg where most of the violence took place.

 

 

I am in shock as to the state of South Africa. There are more than 2,000 people living in rows of tents with UNICEF, Red Cross, and Doctors Without Borders operating as if we were in Darfur or something. Here in Johannesburg, the richest city in all of Africa! The level of resignation and uncertainty is high in the rows upon rows of tents and improvised food and clothing distribution points. Parents washing their children in buckets and living with what few belongings they were able to save when just miles away in the wealthy Northern Suburbs life goes on like nothing has happened.

 

Since Gift of the Givers, the organisation we were going to go with, had to cancel at the last minute, everything was unorganised and ad hoc. We met Buks, the camp administrator at the entrance who told us that he was leaving everything to us as he was too busy to help with more important matters to deal with like providing basic living needs for the refugees. Luckily, he put us in capable hands of his security manager who led us way to the back of the camp which was designated for children. Most of the 200 children we performed for were from the DRC and spoke English. We were immediately adopted by a couple of boys who wanted to know what we were doing there. A small throng grew into a large crowd of onlookers. To gather up an audience, we started with a parade through the tent town passing children getting bathed naked outside their tents, people eating morning breakfast and waving, a Islamic temple preparing for prayer, and lots of rubbish scattered all over. The singing and dancing through the tent alleys in the improvised town was definitely the highlight. At the same time, it was sad to see how the children related to each other with punches and kicks not caring if someone fell down or not. Such is their world of violence.

 

Though the show was very funny and quite good for a first run after only 2 days of rehearsal, there were constant interruptions as people came and went and the crowd grew bigger and bigger. We were barely able to finish due to the audience getting closer and closer reminding me of my early days doing expeditions without chairs and structured seating. And then leaving was a mission! The children amassed around us trying to touch our props or hold our hands. I started strumming my banjo loud and ran far from the truck to attract the majority of the children so that Sbo and Delia could pack things up. Even then, it wasn't easy as there were hands in my pockets, on my banjo strings, and all over the place. Luckily, nothing was stolen and after explaining to the children that we could give them any balloons or red noses because we didn't have enough for everyone, they seemed to understand. We finally piled into the truck and after some adults help get the kids off the back, pulled away to the head office and entrance where we could finally catch our breath.

 

Afterwards, Sibongile confessed that she was very nervous about performing in the camp. "These people are here because of what we, black South Africans, have done to them! How would they respond to me?" The truth is that everyone is responsible for the violence, no matter our race and class. The economic inequality and continued legacy of Apartheid is as much a part of the violence as the frustration and blame that boiled over last May. But at the same time, one cannot discount the compassion and generosity that has arisen from all sectors as a response. A reminder that humans are equally capable of hate and love. And today, the children saw that Sibongile came with her heart open bringing smiles to their faces and a happy memory to their minds in the midst of it all.

 

 

May you be peaceful and happy,

 

 

Jamie

 

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