THE police believe refugees camping outside the UN offices in Tshwane are exercising their constitutional right to protest.
However, the Waterkloof Homeowners’ and Brooklyn and Eastern Areas Citizens’ associations have approached the court for the refugees to be bust and removed. They want the court to force the municipality to enforce by-laws and for Home Affairs to check out the legal status of the protesters.
The national and provincial police commissioners, who are respondents in the case, have argued the refugees can’t be arrested as their protest is legal.
Brooklyn station commander Brigadier Kushandrie Pietersen, also a respondent, said the police didn’t view the refugees behaviour as trespassing, loitering or participating in an illegal gathering.
He said in terms of the Refugees Act, the refugees were entitled to the same legal protection set out in chapter two of the Constitution as South Africans.
Aline Bukuru, one of the leaders of the refugees, said they were prepared for the police.
Fellow DRC national Alex Mongo, who had been in Mzansi since 2008, agreed.
“We don’t have homes, we have nowhere to go. Let them bring the coffins, we are used to violence, we are used to attacks,” he said. – NEWS24
