Gift of the Givers teams are on site at the Epping Home Affairs Repatriation Centre, where thousands of people, mostly Zimbabweans, are waiting to be processed to return to their home country.
Many people were forced to spend the night outdoors in cold and wet weather.
Gift of the Givers Spokesperson Ali Sablay says a surge in arrivals over the past 24 hours has placed immense pressure on humanitarian resources.
“During the course of the last 24 hours, we’ve seen an influx of people coming to the Epping Refugee Centre. And within a few hours, there was hundreds of people standing outside.”
He says many people were left exposed to the elements overnight.
“During the course of the day, and with the inclement weather coming through, people were exposed to this harsh weather. In fact, they slept outside last night in this harsh weather. They were soaking wet, their belongings all got drenched in water.”
Gift of the Givers has since stepped up its relief efforts, providing shelter and essential supplies to those waiting at the facility.
“We have provided additional tents. We will be putting up tents here at the Epping Home Affairs, so at least women and young children and elderly can be under covering.”
He says the organisation continues to provide humanitarian assistance to thousands of people every day.
“We will continue with our humanitarian operations. We are providing close to 2,500 people daily, hot meals. So they’re three daily meals, water, personal hygiene item packs, baby care packs.”
While Home Affairs has increased staffing levels to process people more quickly, Sablay says transport remains the biggest challenge.
“The processing goes very quick. They have brought in additional staff. But the main concern is not the processing of the people.”
He says many people have already completed the necessary documentation process but remain stranded while waiting for transport.
“We have seen some of them waiting. Some of them has been documented five days ago, they are still waiting for the buses. They are out here with their families.”
According to Sablay, only two buses carrying around 75 people each departed yesterday, despite thousands still waiting to return home.
“We need close to 50 to 60 buses deployed at one time to take them away.”
He warns that the situation could deteriorate rapidly if more people continue arriving.
“It’s going to be a humanitarian nightmare if more people come here.”
Sablay says the plight of children at the centre has been particularly distressing.
“It’s heartbreaking to see the number of kids here. Some babies as young as a month old are exposed to this harsh weather.”
He recalls seeing children struggling to cope with the cold conditions.
“One child was trembling so bad, he was very hungry, but he was more cold than hungry, and he was trembling, he could not even eat properly as all his clothes were soaking wet.”
