First published by GroundUp

Refugees living inside and outside the Central Methodist Church on Greenmarket Square rejected the City of Cape Town’s offer of “voluntary reintegration” on Monday.

The City sent two minibuses to Greenmarket square to return the refugees to the communities where they had lived. However, the refugees refused the offer, saying that they didn’t want to be reintegrated and would wait for a decision in the Cape High Court on Tuesday 28 January 2020.

The City sought a court order in December to prevent the refugees from flouting by-laws and disrupting business for the traders in Greenmarket Square. The court is due back on Tuesday when, according to Richard Bosman, executive director for safety and security for the City of Cape Town, the City hopes to obtain a final order to enforce its by-laws.

Whether this will give the City the authority to remove the refugees is not clear.

On Monday, the City’s director of law enforcement, Petrus Roberts, tried to address a group of refugees about transport being provided for reintegration. Some refugees became agitated and interrupted his speech, chanting: “No more South Africa. No more xenophobia.”

Aline Bukuru, one of the refugee leaders, told GroundUp that the refugees had not camped out for four months only to be sent back to the communities that they were trying to escape. She said they had received no details from the City about the reintegration, “only rumours”.

However, Bosman said the offer of voluntary reintegration was “supported by relevant government agencies (Home Affairs, Police, the City and UNHCR) and was communicated accordingly among the agencies as well as the refugees”.

Crispin Mongwe, one of the refugee spokespeople, told GroundUp that law enforcement officers told the refugees last week they would have the opportunity to leave on Monday if they filled out forms and volunteered to be taken by bus. But Mongwe said, “we have decided to wait for the court day”.

The refugees had been protesting outside the UNHCR offices on St George’s Mall. They were removed on 30 October and regrouped at the church. Because the church is so full, many have been living outside on Longmarket Street. DM