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Three Zimbabwean refugees die at church
ZimOnline
July 01, 2006

http://www.zimonline.co.za/headdetail.asp?ID=12383

JOHANNESBURG - Three Zimbabwean refuges died earlier this week at the Johannesburg Central Methodist Church where they were being kept.

The three, whose identities could not be immediately confirmed, died allegedly after eating expired food donated by a food outlet in the city, leading to speculation they may have died of food poisoning.

But Johannesburg Methodist church Bishop Paul Verryn on Friday denied that the Zimbabweans had died of food poisoning saying the three had died of natural causes.

Speaking to ZimOnline, Verryn said post-mortem results had revealed that the three died of enterobiasis, a deadly intestinal disease.

"The diagnosis results show that the three died of enterobiasis. It is not correct to suggest that they died of food poisoning," the bishop said.

The Methodist Church has been offering food and shelter to hundreds of Zimbabwean refugees who fled hunger and political persecution in their country.

Zimbabwean refugees have often complained of ill-treatment and harassment at the hands of the South African government authorities whom they accuse of xenophobia. - ZimOnline

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