Refugee families in Durban have spent about 11 weeks sleeping on the pavement outside the Department of Home Affairs on Che Guevara Road. The families say they have been exposed to cold and rain while staying in the open and relying on others for basic needs.
Civil society groups provide food, blankets and other necessities, according to reports. The situation highlights ongoing difficulties faced by displaced people seeking services and protection through immigration and related government processes. While the core facts of the prolonged roadside encampment are consistent across reporting, outlets focus on different aspects, such as the duration of the wait, the harsh weather conditions, and the extent to which daily survival needs are being met by non-governmental support rather than official assistance.
The reports place attention on the gap between the families’ circumstances and access to Home Affairs services, without indicating in the available accounts what resolution or timelines have been offered by authorities.
