Namibia to deport 53 refugees to S. Africa

A police commissioner, David Indongo, said on Monday that Namibia would deport 53 foreign nationals who fled neighbouring South Africa following a recent wave of xenophobic attacks.

The commissioner said that the 53 foreign nationals who had camped at the Osire refugee camp, were transported on Saturday morning by immigration officials to the southern border settlement of Noordoewer in preparation for their deportation.

“The refugees, who include 14 men, 13 women and 26 children, are being accommodated at the EHW Baard Primary School hostel in Noordoewer,’’ he said.

According to the Namibian police, the majority of the refugees are Congolese and Angolan nationals who have South African-issued asylum permits.

The 53 formed part of more than 600 refugees and asylum seekers who had camped at the UN’s High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) offices in Cape Town and Pretoria while demanding to be taken to safer countries abroad. (xinhua/NAN)