Government will not create separate reintegration plan for Durban refugees, says Home Affairs

National government will not develop a separate reintegration programme for a group of displaced refugees who have been camping outside the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre on Che Guevara (Moore) Road in Durban since mid-May, the government has confirmed.

Refugees remain outside reception centre

The group has been living outside the Refugee Reception Centre since mid-May. Refugee Bishop Rafael Bahebwa said people were advised to reintegrate into the communities where they previously lived, but 186 have remained outside the centre because they “do not have a place to go to.”

“Our people are afraid to go back,”

Concerns about feasibility of reintegration

Yeshelen Govender from the Siyafana Sonke Action Campaign said communities had not been prepared to receive the refugees and that the refugees were not accessing psychosocial counselling. She said state officials presenting reintegration options were aware those options were not feasible and would not deal with what reintegration entails.

Government and municipal positions

Deputy government spokesperson William Baloyi said the Department of Home Affairs had verified the status of the refugees and asylum seekers outside the Che Guevara Road centre and confirmed they are lawfully in the Republic under the Refugees Act.

Baloyi said the government has encouraged the individuals to return to their former communities but that they had declined. He also said they declined the option of being accommodated at the Lindela Repatriation Centre, which he described as the only Department of Home Affairs facility with the infrastructure and capacity to temporarily accommodate persons in a safe and secure environment.

Baloyi said the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration is therefore not developing a separate reintegration programme for individuals who have voluntarily declined the options presented by government. He added that the occupation of public spaces and pavements is within the jurisdiction of the eThekwini Municipality, which is responsible for enforcing its by-laws and, where appropriate and in accordance with the law, taking steps to relocate persons unlawfully occupying municipal property.

Municipality denies mayoral commitment

eThekwini Municipality marketing and communications director Mandla Nsele said the City denies allegations that Mayor Cyril Xaba committed to providing accommodation for the people camping outside Che Guevara Road. The City said the mayor never made such a commitment and called such claims false and misleading.

Nsele said that in June, individuals whose documentation was in order after the Department of Home Affairs verification process were presented with two options: to reintegrate into their respective communities or, where applicable, to be referred to the Lindela Repatriation Centre in line with relevant processes. He said the City’s position remains guided by the applicable legislative and policy framework and urged accurate reporting.

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