South Africa: Angolan former refugees face uncertain future

Published: 1/Oct/2019
Source: GroundUp (Cape Town)

By Tariro Washinyira

About 2,000 Angolan former refugees, many of whom have lived in South Africa for decades, may have to leave at the end of 2021.

According to the Scalabrini Centre, which has been fighting on behalf of the Angolans, the 2,000 former refugees have lived in South Africa for an average of 20 years.

The year 2021 is the deadline for the end of the Angolan Special Permit – a temporary permit issued to Angolans whose refugee status ceased in 2013. Now, an Angolan committee has written to Home Affairs in a bid to clarify what will happen to them when the deadline comes in two years.

One of the committee members, Manuel Panzo, told GroundUp last week that he had been trying to call the office but no one answered his calls. He said his colleagues had also been trying through emails.

Read further: https://www.groundup.org.za/article/angolan-former-refugees-face-uncertain-future/

Themes: Nationality and Refugees
Regions: South Africa
Year: 2019