DURBAN, KwaZulu-Natal — Durban refugees living outside the Department of Home Affairs offices may finally receive temporary accommodation, but the proposed relocation to the Lindela Repatriation Centre has deeply divided the group. After months of hardship on the streets, the planned move has sparked a complex debate among the asylum seekers regarding their legal status, safety, and future in South Africa.
The group, consisting of more than 300 to 450 individuals, including women and children, has been camping on the pavement near the Home Affairs offices on Che Guevara Road since May. They originally demanded safe shelter following a series of xenophobic attacks and violence in their local communities.
eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba recently announced plans to relocate the group following a site visit to address the growing humanitarian and public concern. The mayor presented the group with two options: relocate to the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Krugersdorp, Gauteng, or return to their local communities with municipal assurances of enhanced safety.
However, the proposal has fractured the group. The Department of Home Affairs is currently compiling a list of individuals willing to make the move, but consensus remains elusive.
Princess AJ, a spokesperson for the refugees, announced that a portion of the group has accepted the transfer. She cited the immediate need for basic necessities, noting that South African law does not permit the establishment of formal refugee camps.
“I am taking the opportunity and I’m going to Lindela because we have been made clear that there is no way we can have refugee camps here in South Africa,” Princess AJ stated. “We can’t stay here on the streets forever. We have been crying for four months for the government to give us shelter, and they are giving us shelter in Lindela. We will have food and a roof, even if freedom of movement is restricted.”
Conversely, a significant faction of the group strongly opposes the move. Kafuti Muyumba, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, firmly rejected the Lindela option. He argued that the facility is widely known as a holding center for the deportation of undocumented foreigners, which he argues does not apply to his situation.
Muyumba emphasized that he possesses legal documentation granting him the right to remain in South Africa. He grew up in the country, completing his primary and high school education locally. He also has a South African partner and two children, while the sister who raised him is currently living abroad due to health conditions. Citing ongoing war in his home country and the logistical nightmare of trying to claim his children for cross-border travel, Moyumba is pleading with authorities for localized temporary shelter instead.
“We have papers and the right to be in South Africa, so we cannot agree to go to a deportation facility,” Muyumba explained. “Our businesses were looted, and we were attacked, which is why we cannot simply return to our previous neighborhoods without support. We are begging the government to assist us with a temporary shelter where we can stay for this moment.”
The refugees have reported that their leaders are actively engaging with both the South African government and their home country’s ambassador, who recently visited the site to discuss potential assistance and solutions.
The urgency of the situation has been amplified by recent public tensions. Two weeks ago, the anti-illegal immigrant group “March and March” held demonstrations in the area, which resulted in clashes with the refugees. Five refugees were injured, and two individuals were arrested for public violence during the unrest.
Cyril Mncwabe, the provincial manager for the Department of Home Affairs, confirmed that the relocation process is still in the planning stages. Mncwabe stated that officials are currently meeting to iron out the logistical details surrounding the transportation and safe transfer of the group that has opted to move to the Lindela Repatriation Centre, with further updates expected as the lists are finalized.
