IMMIGRANTS, mostly Congolese, are still camped outside the Diakonia Centre in the CBD and claim they have not received any assistance regarding their safety fears in their areas of stay and businesses, and “do not know what is to happen”.

On Monday (May 18), chaos erupted in North Beach as foreign nationals clashed with shelter residents after being directed there amid rising safety concerns. They spent the night camping outside the Durban Central police station. On Tuesday the police had to use teargas to move them.

Mayhem as foreigners barred from North Beach homeless shelter

On Wednesday, the Acting Provincial Commissioner of KZN Police, Major General Phumelele Makoba, the KZN Provincial Manager of Home Affairs, Cyril Mncwabe, Naleen Balgobind, Head of Refugee and Asylum Seeker Management in KZN, the Acting Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Policing, Major General Vukani Mgobhozi, Acting District Commissioner of eThekwini, Brigadier Sakhengenkosi Zuma, and SAPS legal representative, met with the leadership of the Congolese Solidarity Campaign at the Home Affairs offices in Umgeni Road.

Police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda said, “The meeting was aimed at ironing out issues which led to foreign nationals, mostly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, camping and protesting at the entrance of the Durban Central police station on Monday and Tuesday.

“During the meeting, the leadership pointed a finger at the Department of Home Affairs for rendering them undocumented due to discrepancies in the process of renewing permits.”

The Department of Home Affairs and the police will convene another meeting with the disgruntled group today (Thursday, May 21) to verify their status in the country and their permits to conduct business in SA, including addressing their safety concerns.

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