Immigration

Gay and not free in South Africa

A gay man from the DRC claims the Congolese community in South Africa will not rest until they kill him. Junior Miteo Kalonji, 34, wept hard as he talked about his life. GroundUp had to stop the interview three times when he broke down.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 19 August 2014

Zimbabweans welcome extension of residence

The Department of Home Affairs has granted three more years residence to more than 250 000 Zimbabweans who applied for dispensation permits in 2009.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 13 August 2014

African immigrants experience a spate of raids and deportations

It started on 16 July in Langebaan at Freeport block of flats. Immigrants were deported with nothing on them. Deportees, leaving friends and relatives behind, lost their possessions, furniture and money. Then on 31 July, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) raided a block of flats in Somerset West and Sholoza Villa in Kraaifontein. Immigrants who did not have documents -- mainly Congolese, Tanzanians, Malawians and Zimbabweans -- were arrested.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 6 August 2014

Rwandans remain divided - even in South Africa

20 years after the Rwandan genocide, the political intrigues and legal ambiguities of its aftermath are still being played out in South Africa among the expat community. Requests from Kigali for the extradition of several Rwandans living in South Africa heightened diplomatic tensions between the two nations.

Lara Sokoloff

News | 5 August 2014

Durban police refused to open a case for a Zimbabwean man

A 38-year-old Zimbabwean man claims he was assaulted by a metro police officer in Durban and two Durban police stations refused to open an assault case.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 4 August 2014

29 foreign-owned shops targeted

A 37 year old Somali, Ahimenet Jamel was shot in his shop in Masiphumelele last Friday in an attempted robbery, bringing to at least 29 the number of attacks on foreign-owned shops in the Western Cape in the last three weeks.

Zintle Tia Swana

News | 31 July 2014

Refugees lose security jobs

Over 100 refugees and asylum seekers have lost their jobs in Cape Town’s security industry, following enforcement of a 2002 regulation.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 18 July 2014

Former car guard gets his master’s degree

Former car guard Albert Mpazayabo’s great regret is that he cannot use his new master’s degree in his own country, Rwanda.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 9 July 2014

“Incomprehensible” that Home Affairs declared 5-year-old undesirable

A recent wave of litigation against Home Affairs following the unheralded implementation of new immigration regulations on 26 May 2014 continued on Friday in Western Cape High Court.

Katy Osborn

News | 7 July 2014

Refugees enduring prejudice twofold

Junior Nsamia Mayema, 25, of Democratic Republic of Congo and Flavirina Naze, 32, from Burundi are refugees and activists. They have endured both xenophobia and homophobia. It has also been challenging for them to integrate with the South African lesbian and gay community.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 27 June 2014

Anxiety grows among Zimbabweans while Home Affairs says do not panic

Some Zimbabweans in Cape Town are asking how one can be patient and not panic when they have lost their jobs, find their bank accounts frozen, their children unable to go to university, and their work permits expiring.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 24 June 2014

Zimbabwean man sues SAPS

A 39-year-old Zimbabwean man, Samson Chifamba, is suing the South African Police Service (SAPS) for R300,000 in damages after an assault at his house at Asanda Village in Strand in January.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 18 June 2014

Zimbabwean alleges he was assaulted by police

A 40-year-old Zimbabwean man fleeing from robbers was allegedly attacked in the grounds of his home in Van Eyssen Street Parow by a group of Law Enforcement Officers last week.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 9 June 2014

Home Affairs says it will renew special Zimbabwean permits

Yesterday the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) announced that Cabinet approved the renewal of permits issued under the Special Dispensation for Zimbabweans.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 21 May 2014

Mother and disabled daughter face deportation after going to hospital

A 46-year-old Zimbabwean woman, Fortunate Makamba, and her 17-year-old disabled daughter, Alice Chitsuro, are facing deportation. Makamba arrived in 2012 after the Cape Town Refugee Reception Centre stopped granting asylum to newcomers.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 19 May 2014

UNHCR responds to Delphine Pedeboy

Here is a response to Delphine Pedeboy’s criticisms of the UNHCR published on 13 May 2014.

Tina Ghelli

Opinion | 16 May 2014