Pretoria court orders refugees to vacate UNHCR office

According to media reports, the refugees have been camping outside the offices since 7 October 2019, demanding to be sent to other countries because they fear xenophobic violence in South Africa.

The government has called on refugees, who were camping outside the offices of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to vacate the area as they have been ordered by the High court in Pretoria.

According to media reports, the refugees have been camping outside the offices since 7 October 2019, demanding to be sent to other countries because they fear xenophobic violence in South Africa.

"The protesters are prohibited from contravening the by-laws of the City of Tshwane and the laws of South Africa. The government urges the protesters to abide by the decision of the High Court.

"South Africa is a constitutional democracy and a signatory to international instruments, which form part of Public International Law, and these international instruments have been incorporated into our domestic law by the Refugees Act," the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) said in a statement on Thursday evening.

The GCIS said South Africa has the legal instruments for refugees to exercise their rights, secure protection and successfully integrate into South African communities.

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)