Recent reports indicate that a Burundian national, part of roughly 500 foreign residents, received eviction notices at two Cape Town locations on Wednesday and expressed disappointment with the South African government.
The affected residents, previously residing at Wingfield in Maitland and Paint City in Bellville, were initially relocated during the COVID-19 pandemic after being evicted from Green Market Square in the city’s central business district.
In an interview with VOC News, Mathew Sabiti, a community member from the Paint City refugee camp, shared sentiments from the ground.
*Listen further
VOC News reached out to the City of Cape Town (COCT), which confirmed that the Western Cape High Court granted permission for COCT, along with the national Departments of Home Affairs and Public Works, to instruct the Sheriff to serve eviction notices for the Wingfield and Paint City sites.
The city claims these locations are “unlawfully occupied by foreign nationals.”
“The service of this application will proceed in accordance with the court’s order, carried out in person by the Sheriff and accompanied by translation. While hundreds of foreign nationals have accepted support to relocate from these sites over the past few years, the remaining unlawful occupants have refused all offers of assistance from the state and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR),” said COCT.
COCT added that foreign nationals were initially moved to Wingfield and Paint City under emergency regulations during the COVID-19 Level 5 lockdown, following a High Court order authorizing their eviction from Green Market Square and the Central Methodist Church.
“At that time, the foreign nationals expressed fears of xenophobia and requested relocation to Europe or Canada, which is not legally feasible. The Department of Home Affairs has completed various repatriation and deportation processes, and with the assistance of the City and non-profit organizations, hundreds have been reintegrated into their local communities of origin,” COCT concluded.
Photo: Pexels
