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South Africa: Glenanda Foreigners Removed, Sent to Lindela
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BuaNews (Tshwane)
23 July 2008
Posted to the web 23 July 2008
Nthambeleni Gabara
Johannesburg
The 739 displaced foreigners who had refused to register for ID cards with the Department of Home Affairs have been removed from the Glenanda temporary shelter and sent to the Lindela Repatriation Centre.
Departmental spokesperson, Siobhan McCarthy, said those who were removed were taken to Lindela, near Krugersdorp and were currently waiting to be deported back to their respective countries.
She told BuaNews that the 1 100 foreigners who had registered for the ID card will remain at the biggest temporary shelter in the province which is in the south of Johannesburg.
Hundreds of displaced people on Tuesday refused to register for the temporary ID cards out of fear that they would be branded as illegal immigrants or lose their refugee status.
The cards provide access control at the shelters ensuring the safety of its residents and enables shelter managers, government departments and organisations providing assistance to identify residents.
Ms McCarthy reiterated again that the ID cards would not replace any refugee status or previous documentation of the displaced foreigners. The cards are valid for six months.
She said the process of issuing both the ID cards and exemption certificate in the other temporary shelters of Gauteng and Western Cape was continuing and that the foreigners will all get the opportunity to register with Home Affairs.
"We want to urge all the displaced foreigners not to panic and they should not visit our offices to register for both temporary ID cards and exemption certificates.
"They need to be patient because very soon, we will be visiting them in their respective temporary shelters," she said.
People from other countries with legal documents such as asylum seeker permits or refugee status permits will not be deported, but will not be allowed in the shelters if they do not have the temporary ID Cards.
Last month, the department issued 6 000 ID cards to displaced people in shelters around the country.
Asked if they are still going to close down all the temporary shelters as planned next week Thursday, Ms McCarthy indicated that the prerogative to close down the shelters lies with the Gauteng Provincial Government.
The shelters were set up as a temporary measure to deal with the thousands of people who had been displaced around the country. They are not suitable for long-term accommodation.
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The Western Cape Provincial disaster management is expected to make an announcement in this regard later this week.
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