Refugees in Western Cape Demand Relocation to Canada As Eviction Proceedings Begin, SA Annoyed

• Refugees living in the Western Cape are desperate to leave South Africa and want the government to assist them
• Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis stated that the city was moving forward with formal eviction proceedings
• South Africans were amused and annoyed as the group demanded that they be relocated to Canada and not sent home

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

WESTERN CAPE – Approximately 360 refugees living in tented camps in the Western Cape are desperate to leave the country.

The foreign nationals, who have been living in two temporary sites called Paint City in Bellville and Wingfield in Maitland since 2020, are pleading for relocation out of the country.

The city is moving forward with proceedings to formally evict the group, but they maintain that they didn’t want to be deported back to the countries they fled and wanted to go to Canada instead.

Mayor confirms eviction proceedings to begin

On 19 June 2025, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis confirmed that the city was moving forward with formal eviction proceedings.

Many of the residents of the two temporary sites were moved there after they were removed from a church in the city centre, where they had originally camped out in protest. The mayor also explained that the group were eager to leave, but were asking for international relocation, and not local reintegration.”

"Even the United Nations Commission on Refugees has helped, or tried to help, but they have stubbornly insisted that they should be transported to Canada. They will only leave if they get free passage to Canada, which is obviously not going to happen," Hill-Lewis said.

The issue of foreigners in the country remains a big talking point. In January 2025, South Africans expressed frustration that foreigners outnumbered locals in some of the country's prisons. Gayton McKenzie also raised concerns about the number of foreigners employed at Robben Island.

Foreigners don’t want to be in South Africa

Speaking to Eyewitness News, some of the refugees expressed unhappiness at being in the country, saying they just wanted to leave.

"We don’t want to be here anymore. We just want the UN or someone to help us leave South Africa, but not go back to our country," one refugee said.

Congolese national, Mukanda Lambert, also hit out at the South African government for moving them to the temporary sites.

"We didn’t come here by ourselves. The very same government put us here. I don’t know what game they’re playing," he stated.

With eviction proceedings underway, many refugees said they'd have no choice but to wait to see what the city did next.

South Africans are annoyed with the refugees’ demands

Social media users were annoyed that the refugees wanted the government to assist them to leave South Africa, with many asking how they got here in the first place.

Paul Mabale asked:

“So, why don't they go to wherever they want to go? What's stopping them? They are free to go. Or they want to be flown to Canada with South African taxpayer money.”

Sphola Mizozo questioned:

“Who must assist them as they came on their own from their countries?”

Carole Laubscher asked:

“Why did they come in the first place? They should've stayed at home. The grass isn't always greener on the other side.”

Carol Lenzi stated:

“The countries from which they come should be responsible for relocation and placement back to their country. SA can facilitate, but we can't keep accepting people here illegally in the country when we are trying to fend for our own people with taxpayer money.”

Owen Mayisela said:

“It must be nice to be stranded in SA. You get free return trips to your hometown.”

Eugene Taljaard asked:

“You want relocation? How did you get here in the first place?”

Mokhutši Maepa questioned:

“Are they the ones who wanted the city to relocate them to Canada? South Africa cannot take the problems of the whole continent. It's impossible.”

Patty Magwaza added:

“Entitlement much? This is very simple. The South African government should take them to Beitbridge, and they will see from there. Or they can just join the Trump recruitment drive.”

Mannuku Morake asked:

“Who promised them that the South African govt would send them to Canada?”

Cabinet approves new employment bill

In a related article, the South African cabinet officially approved the Employment Services Amendment Bill.

Briefly News reported that the bill would regulate the employment of foreign nationals in the country.

The Minister of Labour now has the power to set quotas when it comes to the number of foreigners employed in South Africa.

Source: Briefly News