Refugees leave Klerksoord, metro shuts camp

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA - Mar 02 2009 16:29

Refugees at the Klerksoord camp in Akasia, north of Pretoria, started to leave the camp on Monday afternoon.

Trucks and buses taking them to Rosettenville in Johannesburg were escorted by the metro police, while those transporting refugees to Lindela repatriation centre in Krugersdorp were escorted by home affairs department officials.

The Tshwane metro officially closed the camp on Monday.

Spokesperson Console Tleane said the decision to close the camp was taken in August last year.

Refugee camps were set up to house thousands of foreign nationals displaced by an outbreak of xenophobic violence in May last year.

Refugees were given the option of going to Lindela after some refused to board buses to Rosettenville.

Earlier, Somali nationals said they would prefer returning to their home country, rather than die in South Africa or go to another refugee centre.

They were happy when an official announced that they had the option of going to Lindela instead of Rosettenville. They packed their belongings into trucks and boarded buses without any hesitation. -- Sapa

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Refugees evicted from Klerksoord camp, shacks burnt

Refugees leave Klerksoord, metro shuts camp

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