Hundreds of xenophobia refugees will be removed from a Johannesburg shelter on Tuesday after refusing to apply for temporary identification cards, an official said.
”They will be kicked out of the shelter and then they will see for themselves. It is clear that they don’t want any assistance from the government,” said Gauteng government spokesperson Thabo Masebe.
Last week, police clashed with refugees, exchanging stones and rubber bullets after some residents held security guards hostage at the Glenanda shelter, the biggest refugee camp in Gauteng.
The Department of Home Affairs offered refugees the opportunity to register for temporary identification cards. This would give them legal protection for six months if they were found to be in the country illegally.
However, it seemed that only about 900 out of the 1 850 refugees at the shelter had registered by Monday at 5pm, when the deadline expired, said Masebe.
”We will get the report from home affairs because they finished the registration yesterday [Monday], which will indicate how many more people have registered.
”As far as I know, only about 300 more people registered yesterday, which brings the total to 900. Once we see the final report, we will make a decision,” said Masebe.
”We are determined that all the people who refused to register will be removed from the shelter. Furthermore, home affairs may also examine their documents, and if they are found not to have proper legal documentation to be in South Africa, they will be deported.”
Masebe said he did not know why some refugees did not want to register for the temporary identification cards, speculating that they might want to return to their home countries.
”A few of them claim they have refugee status, but nobody is able to verify that,” he added.
He said representatives from the United Nations refugee agency explained to refugees on Monday that it was better to register for the identification cards.
A wave of xenophobic attacks that started in Alexandra township on May 12 and then spread around the country left more than 60 people dead and 17 000 displaced, according to police. About 1 400 people were arrested. — Sapa