Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Refugees welcome reprieve
REFUGEES living in shelters in Wingfield and surrounds can breathe a sigh of relief after their evacuation didn’t materialise.
This week, a letter of eviction circulated causing the refugees to worry about where they would be taken.
Daff Milambo, who stays in the camp, said they were happy to hear the news that they were not being moved.
“We want to thank God that we are no longer being evacuated because we were worried, we did not know where we were going,” said Milambo.
He said what they wanted was to be told where they would be moved to if they are evacuated.
However, those living in tents at Paint City in Bellville said they were ready for anything because it would not be the first time they are being moved.
Rachel Cocotte said they did not have any place to go and were used to scare tactics from the authorities.
“We’ve stopped being scared when we’re told we are going to be moved, we are always ready for anything.”
Cocotte said they were used to the abuse because they get hit whenever they are moved. She said they never fight back; all they do is try to protect their children.
“We can't fight the government, we take what they give us.”
David Azazh said they wanted to leave South Africa and be taken to a safe country. He said they can’t live here because they do not feel welcome in townships as they are targets of all types of violence.
“Since 2008, there’s always been xenophobia in SA because we get killed and our shops robbed, so we do not want to be reintegrated to the townships or repatriated back home because we ran away when we came here,” he said.
Azazh said he has been in the country for eight years but still does not have proper documentation and he could not find work since his shop was burnt down.
He said they were asking the international community to assist them and were not choosy; they can go to any country where they will be safe.
The Department of Home Affairs spokesperson, Siyabulela Qoza, said they have been engaging with the refugees living in temporary shelters in Paint City and Wingfield, before taking down the tents and removing ablution facilities.
“On Monday, April 26, the protesters were given a final notice to take the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) offer to assist them to reintegrate into local communities or to voluntarily repatriate to their countries of origin,” he said.
Qoza said immigration and UNHCR officials have been based at the Proteaville Centre in Bellville where officials were assisting to verify the status of foreign nationals who may have lost or misplaced their documents and those who are undocumented.
He said some of the refugees needed the documents to satisfy the requirements as stipulated by the UNHCR for voluntary repatriation and for reintegration.
He said that this week, most of the refugees in both facilities came forward showing their willingness to either reintegrate or voluntarily repatriate.
About 400 refugees from Wingfield and another 120 from Paint City had communicated their preferences.
“Law enforcement authorities have opted to allow immigration and UNHCR officials time to complete their work and not disrupt them by moving in at the moment,” said Qoza.