Provincial government and NGOs seek shelter for 2 700 foreigners chased from Mbekweni

The Western Cape government has urgently requested intervention from the Department of Home Affairs following the displacement of over 2,700 foreign nationals from Mbekweni due to xenophobic threats.

Mbekweni is a large informal settlement situated between Paarl and Wellington, the bulk of which was forcibly settled by Eastern Cape arrivals from the mid-1980s onwards, destroying and displacing the farms between the two Winelands towns.

It is widely considered a no-go area for white and coloured residents by local residents.

A team from the humanitarian organization Gift of the Givers has been dispatched to provide assistance to the foreigners.

The organization stated that the foreigners fled on Wednesday following a fight between a local resident and a foreigner, both of whom died from their injuries, giving rise to threats of violence from the broader community.

Gift of the Givers commended the police for swiftly evacuating the foreigners in the OR informal settlement, preventing potential looting and burning of foreign-owned shops.

The police confirmed that women with infants were provided alternative accommodation, while men were housed in a different area. The situation remains under police monitoring, with ongoing discussions among relevant stakeholders.

Anton Bredell, the Western Cape’s Local Government, Environmental Affairs, and Development Planning MEC, has written to Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, expressing concern.

He stated, “The Drakenstein Local Municipality and the Western Cape government are not able to provide continuous humanitarian relief to the affected people, and there are no shelters available to accommodate such a large group of people. The province and the municipality will continue to mediate efforts.”

Bredell also announced that the provincial government would collaborate with the police and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to resolve the conflict and facilitate reintegration.

They have chosen not to scrutinise the legal status of the immigrants, as deportation of illegal foreigners would be unpopular with certain influential sectors of society.

Police spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk stated that the foreign nationals fled from their homes in Mbekweni following threats from South Africans on Wednesday. The threats reportedly followed a murder in the area, though details are still forthcoming.

The Drakenstein Local Municipality reported providing shelter and food to approximately 350 women and children at a municipal facility since Wednesday night.

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