Press statement from the W.Cape Coalition against Xenophobia (WCC-AX)

This morning immigration officers in Robertson arrested Lovemore Maporarisa. Lovemore is a local leader of the Zimbabwean community who was trying to give assistance to some of the up to 200 people in the Winelands towns of Robertson, Montagu, Ashton, Bonnievale and McGregor who have been arrested and detained since June 30. They are mainly Zimbabweans but also include people from Mozambique, Malawi and Lesotho. 

Amongst them are many young women who are traumatised by what has happened to them. They are all being held in extremely overcrowded conditions. They also include people who are ill and need medication and hospital treatment. 

Over this period, police have withheld critical information and documents. Supporters who have tried to take them basic materials such as sanitary towels, food and medication have been randomly refused, in between sporadic humanitarian assistance and recognition of rights. 

This is all being done on the pretext that these are undocumented people, despite the fact that many of them do in fact have documents and, as we know, the Department of Home Affairs has been making it impossible for people to get documented. In one case, a documented person was held until his visa expired and is now being deported on that basis. He will be forced to pay a fine for ‘overstaying’ in order to be able to return. 

It is hard to believe that there is not nefarious collusion at play between institutions and organisations when people are incarcerated through the actions of vigilantes, held by SAPS. People are being batted between immigration, police and the courts, all disclaiming responsibility. Meanwhile they apply the most onerous legislation they can lay their hands on to deny people the right to be brought before a magistrate within 48 hours as would ordinarily be the case. And they keep them in custody for as long as possible under immigration laws. 

What kind of society have we become that we allow people to be detained for months in overcrowded conditions without proper recourse to the law? Is it any wonder that other African countries are up in arms about how South Africa is treating their citizens? It seems that the rule of law has completely broken down and the police and immigration are acting with impunity. This cannot be allowed to continue. 

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Contact:

Megan Stuurman: 067193 3935

Sherriff Ramoabi: 078 876 6195

Roger Etkind: 082 585 5385