By Neelam Rahim

Today is World Refugee Day, and a group of concerned members of Cape Town, together with members of refugee communities, have organised a march to Parliament in the City to commemorate the day. Under the theme “Community Collective Initiative March”, hundreds of people are expected to join the parade that will start at the University of Technology’s Cape Town campus at ten this morning.

Radio Islam discusses with the convenor of the march Isaiah Mombilo.

Isaiah says, “Today is international refugee day where refugees had to be recognised around the world. We march to remind the government of South Africa the value of refugees in its land. We do believe that the government of South Africa do consider the refugees. The challenge that refugees now face is in terms of debt, work, and safety. In turn making refugees insecure of their situation located around South Africa.” 

“In terms of the objectives like to be achieved from today’s march Isaiah says, We’d like to show our concern about the reality of refugees in South Africa and also to address a strong message to the portfolio committee of home affairs to reconsider all the change in terms of home affairs law regarding the life of a refugee in SA. Also to review the labour law quota and touch on how refugees are affected in terms of banks. At the moment they’ve had a delay on the extension of their paper which caused so much damage,” says Isaiah.

Isaiah also says, “The application where people apply for documents but that process has been taking very long in a way where a person becomes illegal and does not possess any legal papers which in turn results in dismissal from work. This is serious as we can see the life and the future of refugees in SA becoming a serious challenge. It’s causing so much damage in the indication of the future of refugees. We call on the department to consider the UBUNTU spirit which is being promoted in South Africa.”