Pretoria - The Department of Home Affairs is to close its Port Elizabeth Refugee Reception Centre at the end of November.
This follows a court judgment that directed the department to close the centre.
"The Department of Home Affairs...is fully cognisant of its international obligations towards ensuring the rights of refugees are upheld. To this end, the government has ensured its domestic law is responsive to ensuring we meet and fulfil these obligations.
"However, following a court decision arising from local business people in the vicinity of the Port Elizabeth Refugee Reception Centre, the department was directed to close the centre on the basis that it was a 'nuisance factor'," the department said.
Even though the centre will be closed, the department will continue to render services to refugees, with the location of the new centre expected to be announced soon.
To ensure that smooth closure of the existing centre, the department has been interacting with stakeholders and business representatives affected by the move.
