Pretoria – The Department of Home Affairs says it will help Angolan nationals, who found refuge in South Africa after fleeing from their country’s 27 year-long civil war, to return home.
Briefing journalists in Pretoria on Thursday, Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor said Angolan refugees have until the end of August to voluntarily approach the department’s help desks to be assisted to return home.
Pandor said, however, that those who wished to stay in the country could do so by visiting help desks that the department will set up on 29 May 2013. These will also be closed at the end of August.
This follows a recommendation by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that after Angola’s civil war ended in 2002 and with that country’s economy showing signs of growth with hints of political stability, the refugee status of the Angolans be withdrawn by June 2012.
“The South African government has declared its intention to cease recognition of asylum seekers from Angola within the parameters of the UNHCR recommendation from 31 August 2013.
“The Standing Committee on Refugee Affairs issued a press statement [on Wednesday] which indicates that they have met and resolved to begin a process of reviewing the status of persons affected by the above developments,” Pandor said.
Those who wished to take advantage of the open window to get assistance to go home should, Pandor said, report to help desks at four addresses from 3 June 2013.
These desks will be at the Pretoria Showgrounds on Souter Street; The Nashua Building in North End in Port Elizabeth; The Warehouse Building on 5 Heerenchraght Street in Cape Town and on 132 Moore Street in Durban.
Refugees will be helped with the processing of their passports and other travel documents.
“Refugees who are of the view that despite the material changes in Angola, that they qualify for continued protection of the South African state, may submit their motivations to the SCRA [Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs] in terms of the Refugee Act. This process is a distinct one that will be dealt with through the processes set out in law.
“It is emphasized that the voluntary processes present a window of opportunity for affected persons and will conclude on 31 August 2013.
“These processes are designed to assist persons to obtain certainty in their status in a quick and easy way. These processes will not be available beyond 31 August 2013,” Pandor said.
While it is not clear how many Angolans fled to South Africa when the civil war started in Angola in 1975, Fatima Chohan, the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, said the department could currently pick up about 14 000 Angolan refugees in the department’s system.
Chohan said the department was currently migrating from a manual to a digital database, and once that process is completed, a more accurate assessment would reveal how many Angolan nationals are currently in South Africa.
Many Angolan nationals took refuge in South Africa and other countries when a civil war broke after Angola gained its independence from Portugal in 1975. – SAnews.gov.za
