WC Refuge Reception Centre under the spotlight again

Mluleki Mrwebi

29 May 2013

People Against Suffering Oppression and Poverty Director Braam Hanekom said its unacceptable that the staff at the department of Home Affairs is treating people like animals.  

Hanekom said it is clear that the refuge reception centre had allocated time for people to extend their applications.

He further said the department of Home Affairs should have known that there were going to be large numbers of people at the centre and the department should not have allowed for human rights violation.

It is alleged that on Monday security guards hosed down angry people, including children, when they became unruly outside the centre. 

Over 1 000 people had gathered at the centre for days wanting to renew their asylum seeker’s documents. 

Meanwhile the Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security in the Western Cape JP Smith said this is unacceptable and can not be left alone, because a few years an incident such as this one had led to closure of the centre.