The building does not have toilets or electricity. But the refugees say it is better than Lindela Repatriation Centre

Refugees who were evicted from outside the Pretoria offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) last Friday are now living in an old school building in Bronkhorstpruit, between Pretoria and Emalahleni.

The group of 33 families had been camped outside the UNHCR offices for the past year. The refugees refuse to return to their country of origin and do not want to live in South Africa.

An eviction order was granted by the Pretoria high court in August 2022 and the eviction was finally carried out on 21 April. According to the UNHCR, only 15 people have taken up the option to be housed at Lindela. The others chose to live on the streets with their children and belongings until Sophia Williams of Mountains and Valleys Ministries offered the refugees shelter in one of their old schools.

The old school building in Bronkhorstspruit is remote, with four rooms but no electricity, and only two toilets which are not in a good state. There is one water tap a few metres away. The refugees have very little food, but they prefer to be there than in Lindela.

Some families are yet to be reunited after being separated...