The South African government is set to give a major update on its migration strategy on Saturday, as pressure mounts over the hundreds of refugees and asylum seekers still living outside the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre in Durban.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration will brief the media on 5 September on what government describes as its “comprehensive approach to migration management”.
The briefing comes a day after tensions over the Durban refugee camp erupted into violence and amid growing criticism of the state’s handling of the displaced group.
The confrontation resulted in injuries and a police intervention, with law-enforcement officers using crowd-control measures to disperse people as tensions escalated.
The incident has intensified calls for the state to protect foreign nationals and to investigate allegations of intimidation and violence.
The Siyafana Sonke Action Campaign has accused March and March leaders of promoting what it calls a clean-up operation against the people living outside Home Affairs.
In a statement issued on 3 September, the organisation specifically named Jacinta Ngobese Zuma, Nkosikhona “Phakelumthakathi” Ndabandaba and Ngizwe Mchunu and called for their arrest and prosecution.
These are allegations made by the organisation and have not been established by any court.
Siyafana Sonke has also accused the state of failing to provide adequate emergency shelter and protection, arguing that refugees cannot simply be instructed to return to communities where they say they have already experienced intimidation and displacement.
The organisation says some foreign nationals have lost homes, businesses and livelihoods and that documented refugees continue to face threats in areas including KwaMakhutha and Adams Mission.
The government has previously taken a harder line on irregular migration.
Its five-point migration strategy includes cracking down on violations of immigration law and deporting undocumented foreign nationals, securing the country’s borders, strengthening the immigration system, closing gaps in migration laws and policies, and working with other African countries.
Government has also repeatedly stressed that immigration enforcement is the responsibility of the state.
In an earlier migration update, the Inter-Ministerial Committee warned communities against conducting searches, identity checks or removals of suspected undocumented migrants themselves.
It said no individual or group had the authority to take the law into its own hands, intimidate people or unlawfully remove them from communities.
By July, more than 53,000 foreign nationals had been processed for deportation or repatriation under the government’s migration enforcement drive, according to figures released by the Inter-Ministerial Committee.
At the same time, government has said migration management must be conducted lawfully and with respect for human rights and dignity, irrespective of citizenship or immigration status.
The Durban camp exposes the tension between those two objectives.
The foreign nationals say they want somewhere safe to stay while their situation is resolved.
Government has previously indicated that it does not intend to establish refugee camps and has encouraged legally documented foreign nationals to return to their communities.
But the refugees’ response is that some of those communities are precisely where they fear further harassment or violence.
The prospect of relocation or repatriation has also generated concern among refugee advocates, particularly where individuals have lived in KwaZulu-Natal for years and have established families, businesses and social networks in the province.
Siyafana Sonke has accused government of allowing the crisis to deteriorate and says previous promises of emergency shelter have not materialised.
The organisation has also called on the South African Human Rights Commission and Public Protector to investigate what it describes as a failure by the state to fulfil its responsibilities towards the displaced refugees.
Saturday’s briefing could therefore become an important test of government’s response.
The key questions will be whether the Inter-Ministerial Committee has a concrete plan for the people still living outside Home Affairs, whether emergency accommodation will be provided, whether authorities intend to facilitate their return to their communities, and what protection will be offered to those who say they cannot safely go back.
There is also likely to be pressure for clarity on the role of police and other law-enforcement agencies in preventing further confrontations around the camp.
The government has previously warned that it will act against people who unlawfully target migrants.
The Durban crisis has now put that promise under the spotlight.