An international human
rights organisation, Scalabrini has postponed the court injunction , aiming to stop the department of Home Affairs in South Africa from closing its Cape Town refugee reception
centre.
According to an inside source the case has been postponed until the 17th of next month.
This
follows an agreement between the Department and Scalabrini. The matter was to have been heard at
the Western Cape High Court today.
Scalabrini says the closure of a reception centre in Maitland, set for today 29th June 2012 , is irrational as it will add further strain to the three
existing offices in the country. Two other offices in Johannesburg and
Port Elizabeth have already been closed.
This means new and undocumented asylum seekers will have to apply in
the Pretoria, Musina or Durban offices which is already overcrowded . It however remains unclear what
is the interim arrangement pending the return court date.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have denied to comment on the issue but disclosed that discussing with government on the issue.
This was disclosed by UNHCR Regional Representative for Southern Africa Sanda Kimbimbi in a telephone interview.
"I am on my way to Cape Town but UN will not comment on the issue: said Kimbimbi
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