South Africa: Immigrants Stuck in Cape Jails Since June
[GroundUp] SAPS rejects allegations of indiscriminate arrests and unlawful treatment
At least 100 immigrants are currently being held in police cells across five Western Cape towns for overstaying their visas, according to a coalition against xenophobia. Some detainees have been held for up to two months. The Western Cape Coalition Against Xenophobia claims police have been arresting immigrants on the streets and in their homes under false pretences.
Most of those arrested are from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, and Lesotho. SAPS has not responded to questions about the total number of arrests, the number of detainees released after fines, or how many remain in custody. One of those arrested, Lovemore Maporisa, argued he was detained after showing police his valid documents. Another, Michael Chanyamwaka, claimed police ignored his attempts to prove his status and instead arrested every foreigner they encountered. Activists are planning protests to address the situation.
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- Immigrants stuck in Cape jails since June groundup.org.za
