‘He was a good guy’: Refugee community mourns man who died on Durban pavement
As Bienvenue Munga was laid to rest, his fellow refugees returned to the pavement they had shared with him for months.
Bienvenue Munga, a 42-year-old refugee, passed away on a Durban pavement after living alongside the refugee community for months. His brother described him as a "good guy" and said the family had lived with Munga in South Africa for years. Munga chose to live with the refugee community after being chased away by anti-migrant groups, but died on Monday, August 31, due to tuberculosis and lack of proper treatment.
His death brought renewed attention to the health challenges faced by those living on the pavement outside the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre. Bishop Raphael Bahebwa, who has been supporting the refugees, emphasized that the community, despite their legal status in South Africa, were neglected by the government. The Siyafana Sonke Action Campaign attended Munga's funeral, recognizing him as a comrade and paying their respects to the community they had formed a relationship with during the prolonged stay on Che Guevara Road.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
