CAPE TOWN
After many protests and lots of pressure for newcomers things finally look brighter, but this is not the end of our struggles. Just a step in the right direction.
The South African Department of Home Affairs has promised us that the Cape Town refugee reception centre will be taking about 200 people a day starting as early as next week. This is a breakthrough, but this is just for the submitting and acceptance of their applications.
The Cape Town refugee office is moving, but newcomers are still required to wait outside the customs house premises, where they will be picked up by buses.
For Zimbabweans this means being legal in South Africa for up three months. After the three month period it is sometimes extended, but there is meant to be an interview process and Zimbabweans are very often rejected refugee status and given 30 days to leave the country. During this 30-day period an applicant can appeal.
Zimbabweans need to know that if they say they are here because of work or the economic situation they will never be accepted. South Africa is not accepting economic migrants.
Refugee status is for people who have fled their country fearing for their lives because of their religious beliefs, political beliefs, race, tribe or even sexuality. Refugees from countries at war are usually accepted.
I have received lots of phone calls and lots of messages! Thank you to all the messages of encouragement and also for the many suggestions I received.
This week Zimbabweans in Cape Town will be served on Friday at 6am. We have given a large number of people’s names to lawyers from the Legal Resource Centre, who will represent them.
Post published in: Uncategorized