Fatima Mahomed Abukar immigrated to South Africa from war-torn Somalia. She together with a group of Somalis, Burundians, Senegalese and Malawians sell belts, socks and bags in Stellenbosch. Their business now runs smoothly, but they had to fight to get it that way.
Tariro Washinyira
News | 25 June 2015
In October 2009, the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) proposed to end refugee status for Angolans who fled the civil war which ended in 2002. It recommended member states act in concert to achieve a uniform schedule for the implementation of the cessation of the refugee dispensation.
Tariro Washinyira
News | 23 June 2015
Is Operation Fiela lawful? Judge Jan Hiemstra in the North Gauteng High Court will hear argument today from Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) that it isn’t.
GroundUp Staff
News | 23 June 2015
On World Refugee Day this weekend, South African police, traffic officials, metro police, brand specialists, immigration officials and defence force members shut down Cape Town Station's taxi terminus as part of Operation Fiela. The four-hour operation brought commuters to a standstill as taxis were not allowed in or out on a busy Saturday morning. Dozens of foreign nationals were arrested.
Bernard Chiguvare and GroundUp Staff
News | 22 June 2015
The Forum of Immigration Practitioners of South Africa (FIPSA) last week said many visa applications are being rejected by Home Affairs due to the incorrect application of the law, leaving a stream of applicants unable to work, study and pay their bills.
Bernard Chiguvare and Ashleigh Furlong
News | 18 June 2015
Saturday 20 June is World Refugee Day. In a keynote address at an event organised by the Scalabrini Centre and the Holocaust Centre in Cape Town, Caroline Skinner, senior researcher at The African Centre for Cities (ACC) at the University of Cape Town, shared timely new research about the role of migrants and refugees in the informal economy.
Tariro Washinyira
News | 17 June 2015
Enap ‘Pitshou’ Ngwene, 32, is an asylum seeker from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Since he arrived in South Africa in 2007, he has nothing tangible to show. He blames this on his rejection for asylum in 2011, which has now been on appeal for four years.
Tariro Washinyira
News | 11 June 2015
It is almost a week since violence between Marikana and Lower Crossroads residents in Cape Town erupted leaving a trail of destruction. Four Burundians, bystanders caught up in the devastation, are now struggling to pick up their lives.
Bernard Chiguvare
News | 8 June 2015
Being accepted in South Africa is hard for foreigners, say Ethiopians living in Cape Town.
Christine Ayela
News | 2 June 2015
The government has failed to support the integration of foreigners into the Masiphumelele community, says local leader Mzuvukile Nikelo.
Tariro Washinyira
News | 27 May 2015
Zimbabweans whose business permit applications have been rejected are hoping that the decision will be reversed, but the Department of Home Affairs is dragging its heels.
Bernard Chiguvare
News | 26 May 2015
Burundian nurse Elvira Modesero was a victim of the xenophobic violence that took place in Kwazulu-Natal in April. She told her story to Doctors Without Borders (MSF). This is an edited and shortened transcript of her interview.
Elvira Modesero, as told to Doctors Without Borders
News | 20 May 2015
Just under a month ago today, South Africa was shocked by the images on the cover of the Sunday Times on 19 April 2015. The images depicted Emmanuel Sithole, a Mozambican man and breadwinner for his family, lying on his back amongst rubbish as he pleaded with three men bearing knives standing above him, moments before they fatally stabbed him in cold blood.
Lara Wallis
Opinion | 18 May 2015
South Africa is desperately short of nurses and many highly skilled practitioners are now over the age of 50 and nearing retirement. Yet there are estimated to be more than 30,000 South African nurses working abroad, everywhere from Dubai to Dublin.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 18 May 2015
The Bangladeshi owners of a shop were escorted out of Roodepan by heavily armed police officers last night. This happened after angry residents pelted the shop, Roodepan Mobile on Starling Street, with bricks and stones shortly after 7pm.
Douglas Mthukwane
News | 12 May 2015
"What these people are doing is not right. Most of my relatives do not know what to do. All their goods were taken yesterday. They do not know what to do next," says Fatima Hassan, 29, a Somali who owns a stall in Bellville.
Bernard Chiguvare
News | 11 May 2015