Zimbabwe refugees in South Africa

AlJazeerah covers the stories.

Evicting refugees from a church

Since 2000, the Central Methodist Church in central Johannesburg became something of an institution for refugees from a host of African countries, particularly Zimbabwe, looking for a new life.
The church provided shelter, counselling, medical services, education for children and even skills development.
Verryn said helping refugees has been a difficult and divisive issue, especially when so many South Africans needed help themselves.
"We have a country that is fairly unfriendly to refugees. We have a cold prejudice towards them ... it's been a very difficult journey for many," he said.
After the xenophobic riots in May 2008 that left 62 people dead, the church became even more important as a safe house for asylum seekers and refugees from across the continent.
At one point, about 2,000-3,000 people were squeezed inside the church premises, raising the ire of local government.
Some estimates suggest that since 2000, more than 30,000 refugees have passed through the doors of the church at one point or another.