The UN High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) has created a refugee crisis in Johannesburg, the government said on Thursday.

Since February, the UNHCR has been providing transport for thousands of Zimbabwean refugees to come to Johannesburg – without informing the authorities – said the spokesman for the provincial department of local government Themba Sepotokele.

"It isn't right, at all right for [the UNHCR] to bring these people into the city.

"They should have had the decency to communicate to the city [their plans]," said Sepotokele.

Many of the refugees who have arrived in Johannesburg are congregating around the Central Methodist Church, which has long been a haven for Zimbabwean refugees. According to its Bishop, Paul Verryn, the church is at full capacity and as many as 2 000 more Zimbabweans are living on the streets in its vicinity.

The large numbers of refugees have created problems for local businesses, as well as a potential humanitarian and health "crisis".

"If they had communicated to the city we would not be having this crisis," said Sepotokele.

The UNHCR, for its part, denies responsibility for the situation.

Zimbabwean refugees in Musina, who had their papers but not the funds to travel further into South Africa, were provided only with transport.

"The [Musina] municipality asked us to facilitate their travel," said UNHCR regional representative for Southern Africa Sanda Kimbimbi.

"But we have never been telling anyone to go to the Central
Methodist Church, or Johannesburg, or Gauteng."

Kimbimbi maintains that the Musina refugees came to Johannesburg in search of jobs, and would have travelled there, perhaps by more dangerous means, regardless of the UNHCR's help.

"We cannot be held responsible for this situation. I'm sorry, we cannot," said Kimbimbi.

He added that while many come to cities because they hope for jobs, most will be disappointed.

The UNHCR representative in Musina, Bruno Geddo, acknowledges that the job market in Johannesburg is already "saturated".

Kimbimbi believes that the concentration of Musina refugees will begin to lessen.

"After a few tough weeks of living tough on the streets of Jo'burg, maybe they will reconsider [staying].

"They might return to Zimbabwe," said Kimbimbi.

The UNHCR, Gauteng MEC for local government Qedani Mahlangu, the City of Johannesburg, and Department of Home Affairs will meet to discuss the situation on Friday. It is unclear what the outcome will be.

"Let's acknowledge one thing," says Sepotokele, "This shall not be the problem of Johannesburg. This shall not be the problem of Gauteng. This is a countrywide problem."

Kimbimbi has spoken to his counterpart in Musina, Geddo, and asked that no more refugees be given transport at this time. He said that if the government asked that no more refugees be given transport to Johannesburg he will acquiesce.

However, in the short term, there are thousands of Zimbabwean refugees who would not be encouraged to return to Musina. Geddo said their staying there was untenable.

"An act of solidarity could be turned into an act of hostility," he said.

But if Friday's meeting results in the local and provincial government deciding that it cannot accommodate these numbers of refugees from Musina, it is unclear what the solution will be.

"That, I cannot answer," said Kimbimbi.