Foreign nationals residing on Che Guevara Street (Moore Road) in Berea, Durban, must vacate the area on Monday. This comes nearly four months after their arrival, following notification from anti-illegal organizations before June 30th.
Refugees living on Moore Road in Durban are expressing disagreement regarding the proposed move to the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Gauteng. Some fear detention, while others desperately seek to avoid deteriorating living conditions on the street. Although some refugees have begun preparing for the move, others have chosen to remain on the streets of Durban.
They express hope that the government will provide them with temporary housing until they can rebuild their lives in their former communities.
Che Guevara Community
Kafuti Muyumba, a representative of the Che Guevara community, stated that the relocation proposal was put forward about two months ago during the mayor's visit to the site. He conveyed that it was said: 'He said that if we do not return to our communities, we will be sent to Lindela.'
However, Muyumba noted that many residents of this area are legal refugees, and they are concerned that Lindela is not a suitable solution for their circumstances. He emphasized: 'The problem is that this place is intended for unregistered illegal immigrants. We are here legally as refugees.'
Muyumba clarified that the refugees understand the authorities' desire to return them to their former communities but objected that many have lost their homes, jobs, and livelihoods during four months of forced displacement. He stated: 'We know that it is now safe for us to return to the communities we came from. However, the houses we rented and the jobs no longer exist. That is why we ask for government assistance until we can get back on our feet.'
He added: 'We have nothing since we came to live on the streets. We are only asking for temporary housing until we can return to a normal life.'
Muyumba, who is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo and previously lived in Berea, recounted losing his source of income. He recalled: 'I rented a shop where I ran a salon, but all those things disappeared since we were evicted four months ago.'
He also noted that the community remains divided on the issue of the proposed relocation, with some refugees refusing it. Bishop Raphael Bahcebwa, one of the leaders of Che Guevara, stated that the community's priority is the reintegration of refugees into the communities where they previously lived.
Che Guevara Community
Bahcebwa, who is also from the DRC and lived in Amanzimtoti, where he worked as a builder and pastor, stressed: 'The only thing we want for our people is reintegration into the communities.'
He reported that residents were shown a list indicating that about 300 people, including children, should be moved to Lindela. Bahcebwa noted that the prolonged stay on the streets has severely affected the community. He said: 'We are people; we entered this country legally as refugees. We stayed on the streets, and over time our people continued to suffer, and we lost two people. We are fed up and just want to be in a safe place.'
He also expressed concern about the lack of information provided to the refugees about the supposed destination. Bahcebwa noted: 'When we asked about the shelter in Lindela, they gave us no information and did not send us photos. The sad part is that Lindela is intended for people who are here illegally.'
Bahcebwa mentioned that some refugees are desperately trying to avoid the current living conditions. He added: 'As for the rest of us who do not want to leave, we will stay on the street. The fact is that the government is only fixing 50% of the problem.'
He also reported that attempts by refugees to return to their former communities have not always been successful. 'We encouraged our people to integrate back into society, but those who returned to their neighborhoods were evicted, and those who returned to work were attacked. The situation has not changed, and the tension has not subsided.'
One of the biggest concerns, according to Bahcebwa, is the impact of the relocation on children, especially those already attending schools in KwaZulu-Natal. Bahcebwa emphasized that the community does not wish to confront the authorities but merely seeks a temporary solution that allows families to regain independence. He concluded: 'We do not want to fight with anyone. We cannot allow our children to be left without school. That is their fundamental human right. We have not asked for a cent until now. We just want temporary shelter to return to the life we had. We just want help to recover our lost lives. Currently, people are packing their belongings and waiting for transport to Lindela, but everything is still uncertain for them.'