Refugees sleeping on pavement outside Home Affairs as winter bites in Durban

Dozens of refugees, including women with small children wrapped in thin blankets, have been sleeping on the pavement outside the Department of Home Affairs offices on Che Guevara Road in Durban after fleeing what they say were xenophobic attacks.

Months on the pavement

For more than a month displaced families have camped outside the building, enduring cold winter nights with limited shelter and water while they wait for assistance and protection.

Calls for help and shrinking support

Deborah Ewing of the South African Palestine Movement described the situation as worsening as more people arrive. She said the camp had become harder to sustain after municipal support was allegedly withdrawn.

“The situation is very precarious – more people have arrived in the past few days fleeing attacks from townships and suburbs,”

“The municipality [allegedly] stopped delivering water and we are relying on donations for everything. Municipality wants them to leave but won’t help with shelter. There is [allegedly] another march planned for Thursday.”

Responses and disputed details

Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, leader of March and March, told IOL she had not heard of the alleged march.

“I have not heard of this, but I will ask around,”

Wider tensions

Refugee leader Bishop Raphael Bahebwa said the June 30 march in the CBD went well but alleged that xenophobic incidents had increased in townships and rural areas.

“In rural areas, people are being chased away, [allegedly] being beaten and tortured. We don’t understand the scenario, and it has changed our perspective here,”

Immediate needs

The people at the pavement site are reported to be without reliable municipal water delivery and reliant on donations for basic needs while they await assistance from authorities or other organisations.

Reporting based on an IOL article.