Immigration

Nightmarishly difficult for some refugee children to go to school

More than 20 refugees' children in Cape Town could not be enrolled in schools early this year due to the lack of asylum documents. The refugees have approached several schools in Western Cape but were turned down.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 23 January 2013

For Zimbabweans, festive season travel is no holiday

Two Zimbabweans who went home for the festive season explain how it was more challenging than they imagined, both financially and crossing the border.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 16 January 2013

Asylum seekers struggle as FNB freezes their accounts

Asylum seekers in Cape Town are struggling because their First National Bank (FNB) accounts have been frozen. The bank insists on seeing unexpired asylum documents every three to six months to keep bank accounts active. Many asylum seekers have to wait up to six months for their documents to be approved by Home Affairs and end up not being able to provide the documents FNB insists upon.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 5 December 2012

Local businesses move against Somali shops in Khayelitsha

Town Two Khayelitsha is the site of tension between a local business association and Somali shops. The Zanokhanyo Business Association (ZBA) is accusing Somali shop owners of not abiding by a 2008 agreement which says that no new foreign owned shops should operate in the townships following the May 2008 xenophobic attacks.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 7 November 2012

Threats against Somali businesses must not be tolerated

Our lead story today is that local business organisations are mobilising against Somali shops in Khayelitsha.

GroundUp Editor

News | 7 November 2012

Stateless in South Africa

Love Mathobela was born in South Africa and has lived most of her life here, but she is not yet recognised as a citizen.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 17 October 2012

Asylum seekers complain to Human Rights Commission about Home Affairs

About eighty asylum seekers have launched a complaint with the South African Rights Commission (SAHRC) against the Department of Home Affairs.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 3 October 2012

Zimbabwean family alleges funeral company rip-off

Taurai Hativagone from Zimbabwe says he was conned out of thousands of rands by Sonandi Family Funerals company who failed to deliver on promises to provide services for his brother’s funeral, including sending the body to Zimbabwe by air.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 19 September 2012

Green Market Square traders face imminent eviction

At least 40 immigrants trading since 2010 at the Soko African Market, next to Green Market Square, face imminent eviction. Their attempts to negotiate for more notice time before eviction from the Kings Hotel, which owns the property, have failed.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 29 August 2012