Cape Town – Some refugees at the Paint City site in Bellville have remained steadfast on being resettled to other countries besides an ultimatum of two weeks to reconsider other offered options.
Refugees and asylum seekers currently accommodated in Bellville and Wingfield tents have been offered to either be reintegrated or be deported, with each person assisted with a fully paid plane ticket.
This offer stands for a two-week period that started on April 15. After that officials will remove the tents, showers, toilets and no longer supply anyone at these sites as they expect that there will be no one remaining.
Should the refugees be found occupying streets and other areas after the deadline, they could be arrested, said Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.
He was briefing the media about efforts to resolve protests by hundreds of refugees at the two sites.
They initially found refuge at the Central Methodist church in the city centre after occupying the streets, claiming their feared xenophobic attacks in various communities. Due to the Covid-19 lockdown, they were relocated to temporary sites.
Motsoaledi said about 41 people, including Aline Bukuru, who was among those who led the protests, have already been deported – 121 have decided to take up an offer to be flown back to their countries of origin.
He said about 583 who had applied for asylum-seeker status were rejected and they decided to appeal in terms of the law to the refugee appeals authority while others were still in the appeals process.
“They must forget the dream of being resettled into another (country), it is ill conceived and will never happen. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has offered to reintegrate people back into communities with three months paid rental and food, while the International Organisation for Migration has offered to assist each person with plane tickets to go back home.
“About 390 have accepted reintegration and are already back into the communities and sent text messages to say they are safe.
’’We are aware some are rejecting all these offers and caution them that the government and the agencies will wash their hands and they will be on their own. Law enforcements will deal with them should they be found on the streets,” said Motsoaledi.
Hafiz Mohammed, one of the leaders at the Paint City site said: “The minister said proper processes will be made and people will be deported as families. However we don’t believe that.
’’So far people have deported individually leaving us to take care of very young children. What they have been doing is inhumane. He can’t dismiss the fact that there were xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in different communities.
’’We stayed there, not him. We remain on our first demand of being resettlement in a safe country. We don’t care about their ultimatum. They can beat us if they want to.”
UNHCR spokesperson Kate Pond confirmed that a number of families have accepted the reintegration package.
“I am pleased to say that the process is moving forward. We and our partners are providing counselling and material assistance to the families who accepted the reintegration package, and many of those who approached us are now in new homes in the host communities.”
“Only the most vulnerable cases with acute needs or serious concerns of persecution in their country of asylum are subject to resettlement.
’’Since the onset of the protests, we have encouraged all involved to participate in constructive dialogue to address their grievances and find a peaceful resolution to the situation.”
Cape Times