Mayor to open repatriation centre in Durban
Amid the unstable atmosphere around foreigners in Durban, eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba has moved to open a repatriation facility.
THE situation around displaced foreign nationals has entered a new phase. To mitigate the matter, the City of eThekwini plans to establish a repatriation centre to assist refugees return to their countries of origin.
Mayor Cyril Xaba said the modalities of this process would be finalised in consultation with the relevant embassies. He made this announcement yesterday (May 21) during a visit to the Diakonia Council of Churches, where foreign nationals had sought shelter.
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“In a decisive step to address the challenge of immigration, eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Councillor Cyril Xaba, will establish a Repatriation Facilitation Office in Durban to facilitate the repatriation of legal refugees who genuinely wish to return to their countries of origin,” mayoral spokesperson Mluleki Mntungwa said.
Mntungwa added, “This support will not be available to foreign nationals who are in the country illegally, including asylum seekers whose application was rejected.”
The mayor added that details regarding the location of the repatriation facilitation office and its operational procedures will be announced in due course.
According to Home Affairs figures, approximately 457 foreign nationals were verified on Thursday, with only two individuals found to be without proper documentation and subsequently detained. Five had expired permits, but are in the process of renewing them, so they are not deemed as being undocumented/ illegal.
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“The mayor has called upon members of the community where the foreign nationals reside to accept them, as their status has been verified. But those who remain in our communities without the necessary documentation must be arrested and deported for avoiding the law.”
On Monday, the mayor will attend an engagement between the retailers who deliver goods, Takealot, Checkers, Mr D, Uber and the representatives of March and March on the hiring of foreign nationals for delivery jobs, organised under the auspices of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
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