Hundreds of migrants, mainly from Zimbabwe and Malawi, are still camping in an open field near the Home Affairs Refugee Centre in Epping, Western Cape, South Africa, as they wait for transport to return to their home countries.
The site at the Home Affairs and Refugee Centre is now closed. The Western Cape government has said it will no longer provide free buses for undocumented migrants.
The provincial government has also stopped its voluntary repatriation programme. While thousands of Zimbabweans have already been helped, hundreds are still stranded in Epping.
According to Newzroom Afrika reporter Malungelo Booi, who was live at the scene on Monday morning, about 700 people have been at the site since Friday. Three buses carrying roughly 220 people left on Sunday night, with more buses expected to arrive during the day.
The buses are not funded by the Zimbabwean or South African governments, Booi reported. Instead, “several NGOs are stepping in to assist the people who find themselves in this particular situation.”
Many of those camping in the field had not planned to leave South Africa, Booi said. “They wanted to continue to make a living here in South Africa, but the situation in their communities has led them to make the decision to leave.”
The scene on Monday morning showed people sleeping in the open, wrapped in blankets, with some gathered around a fire to keep warm. A woman was seen feeding a baby. The camp is a few metres from the refugee centre and near Langa Township.
“Some people were still sleeping in this open field when we arrived here just before seven o’clock, desperate to be repatriated,” Booi said.
The migrants are braving harsh conditions during what has been described as an “icy winter” across the country. The group includes families with young children, and many have come from various parts of the Western Cape.
The camp was formed after recent tensions in local communities. No government officials were seen at the site during the live broadcast.
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