South African Home Affairs Minister Vows to Enforce Evictions on Foreigners

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announces plans for decisive action to evict refugees in Bellville, Cape Town, amidst ongoing disputes and unsustainable conditions. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has declared a firm stance on the eviction of refugees currently residing in Wingfield and Paint City, Bellville, Cape Town. Following his visit to the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office in Epping, Schreiber emphasized the need for decisive action. This announcement comes after a prolonged stand-off involving hundreds of refugees who, since 2019, have protested against reintegration into South African communities or returning to their home countries, expressing a preference for relocation to countries such as Canada or the US.

The refugees’ resistance persisted through the Covid-19 pandemic, with about 500 individuals, including 200 children, remaining in Paint City. They continue to reject resettlement offers by the Department of Home Affairs, clinging to their aspiration of being relocated to a safer country.

In a recent interview with Cape Talk, Schreiber confirmed that the City of Cape Town and the Department of Home Affairs will collaborate to initiate a joint eviction application. He highlighted the unsustainable nature of the current situation, which impacts both the local communities and the refugees themselves.

“Both the City of Cape Town and the Department of Home Affairs are suffering under this particular arrangement as it is not sustainable anymore, especially for the residents of these communities,” Schreiber stated. He also mentioned efforts to expedite the backlog of asylum applications for those who have applied, ensuring their cases are handled promptly.

Schreiber noted that the Department has previously provided various alternatives, including repatriation and resettlement, which the refugees have consistently refused. “No one can claim that they have not been offered a reasonable alternative. Therefore, using those precedents that I’m referring to, there really is no alternative than to say they should vacate these sites or reintegrate or alternatively have their asylum applications dealt with,” he said.

Furthermore, Schreiber underscored the absence of large-scale refugee camps or facilities in South Africa designed to isolate refugees from local communities. He clarified that the decision of which countries might accept these refugees lies solely with third countries, which have not taken action over the past five years.

“South Africa does not decide which countries must accept refugees that have come to South Africa. It is only third countries who can make decisions about that and quite clearly for the last five years that has not materialised,” he concluded.