Question NW3277 to the Minister of Home Affairs
10 October 2022 - NW3277
Roos, Mr AC to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
In each month of the 2021-22 financial year, what (a) total number of persons were (i) detained at and (ii) deported from the Lindela Repatriation Centre, (b) total number of (i) refugees and (ii) asylum seekers were transported from the specified centre to the street outside the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Pretoria in May 2022, (c) total amount was paid to transport the deported persons and (d) are the reasons that the persons were transported to the specified place and not released?
Reply:
a) The total number of persons (i) detained and (ii) deported from the Lindela Repatriation Centre is as follows:
|
Month |
Number of Detainees |
Number of Deportees from Lindela |
|
April 2021 |
1 058 |
881 |
|
May 2021 |
1 044 |
1 081 |
|
June 2021 |
879 |
926 |
|
July 2021 |
809 |
1 158 |
|
August 2021 |
865 |
476 |
|
September 2021 |
1 154 |
1 315 |
|
October 2021 |
1 184 |
1 217 |
|
November 2021 |
961 |
953 |
|
December 2021 |
951 |
872 |
|
January 2022 |
1 022 |
693 |
|
February 2022 |
775 |
1 065 |
|
March 2022 |
316 |
655 |
|
Total |
10 018 |
11 292 |
b) A total of 85 of the refugee and asylum protestors requested to voluntarily leave the facility. The first group of 20 where transported to Sunnyside, Pretoria as per agreement with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) that DHA would assist with transport for those who voluntarily opted for community re-integration. A similar process was followed of transporting the remainder of the 65 protesters to the park next to the UNHCR offices.
(c) The total cost R 3 374, relating to fuel for the vehicles.
(d) The first group of 20 protesters requested to leave the Lindela facility and to be assisted with transport to Sunnyside, Pretoria, as the majority of them had previously resided there.
The second group of 65 while being transported to Sunnyside, demanded to be dropped off at the park next to the UNHCR building, where they were staying in 2019 before they were transported to Lindela. The officials acceded to their demands to be dropped off at UNHCR as they were becoming hostile.
END