The pangs of hunger are leading many Zimbabwean children to
cross into South Africa to seek food and work. Many are
turning up at the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg, where relief
workers said they are sheltering about 150 Zimbabwean children of school age.
Methodist church bishop Paul Veryn,
prominent in relieving Zimbabweans in South Africa, said some 30 children arrived in the past two weeks and are now studying in a church school.
The phenomenon of migrating children comes even as South African
officials are stepping up enforcement on immigrants from Zimbabwe who are illegally residing in the country.
Veryn told reporter Jonga Kandemiiri
of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that some of the children who found shelter at his church have been picked up in
raids and face deportation.
