Protesting refugees tired of 'constantly living in fear in SA'

Published Oct 10, 2019

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Cape Town – Hundreds of refugees continued protesting outside the offices of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in the CBD on Thursday. 

Organised by the Western Cape Refugee Community, they have vowed to continue the protests until the UNHCR does a turnaround in their treatment of refugees, even sleeping outside the offices at night since they started their sit-in on Tuesday.

Insisting they are victims of xenophobia in South Africa, they want to be resettled elsewhere. They accuse the UNHCR of not only failing to protect them from xenophobia, but were also unable to assist them in getting their documents from Home Affairs and with resettlement in other countries.

A 20-year-old woman from Malawi told the Cape Times her family was constantly living in fear while living in Bloekombos. 

"You can't argue with people because they threathen to burn down your house. My brother threw a stone at a window and they called the police, but when we call the police we are told there is nothing that they can do. 

"They (South Africans) don't want us here, you are yelled at in their language and you are so afraid because you don' t know what they are saying they are going to do to you."

A DRC national said that travelling on public transport was scary for them because they would receive angry looks and often be insulted if they spoke their own language.

Another refugee showed a post in which Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi said companies should not employ foreign nationals.

Video: Brendan Magaar / African News Agency (ANA)

"Even the ministers want us gone. They don't want us here, so the UNHRC must help us," said the refugee.

Nxesi spoke last month of "unscrupulous employers" not complying with the country's labour laws. He said their intention was "to employ displaced people and pay them starvation wages, making them to work long hours and sleep on top of the shops". 

"The intention is very simple – it is designed to boost profits through cheap labour,” said Nxesi, adding this is happening amid the background of increased unemployment.

He identified the hospitality, restaurant, construction and security sectors as being the main villains when it comes to exploiting displaced foreigners. 

Video: Brendan Magaar / African News Agency (ANA)

Cape Times

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