SA police raid church, hundreds of Zimbabweans detained

SA police raid church, hundreds of Zimbabweans detained

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A FURIOUS South African bishop accused police on Thursday of trashing his church in an overnight raid, when hundreds of suspected illegal immigrants were hauled away, many while sleeping.

Bishop Paul Verryn said the mass arrests of mainly Zimbabwean refugees at Johannesburg's Central Methodist Church had been carried out in an "appalling" and "despicable" manner.

"They came military-style and started raiding the street around the church and turned the church upside-down," the bishop told AFP on Thursday.

"Doors were broken, windows shattered. They basically vandalised my church, acted despicably, kicking anything that moved including pregnant women, children, and disabled people.

"They treated vulnerable people appallingly...it was a disgrace," Verryn added.

"Police have been so rude, they didn't even want to identify themselves, no search warrant given to me."

Several hundred refugees had been sheltering in the church in downtown Johannesburg, most of whom had fled the economic meltdown in Zimbabwe where unemployment is running at around 80 percent.

Up to three million Zimbabweans are now believed to be living in South Africa.

Verryn said it was the first time something like this ever happened in the "many years we have been housing the homeless, vulnerable and the sick".

But police said they acted in the interest of safety and security following complaints from residents and businesses around the area that the church harboured criminals.

"The raid was part of a sustainable crime-combatting operation that was legally authorised in order to eradicate criminal elements from problematic buildings and streets that include...the Methodist Church," police spokesman Bheki Mavundla told AFP, putting the number of arrest at around 500.

"It (the church) was legally raided by police and immigration officials in response to public complaints about robbers harboured in the church, and those running to the church after committing crimes."

Verryn, however said that the church had strict rules and he would have been assisted police if they had evidence of criminality.

"We do not encourage any criminality in our church, and if they think there are criminals, we surely would be happy to help."
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