South African authorities have extended until Monday a deadline for the closure of six camps for thousands of foreigners displaced by xenophobic riots in May. This is to give the Constitutional Court time to rule on an appeal by human rights groups to keep them in the open. The provincial government in Gauteng says it is now safe for the foreigners to return to their homes.
The camps were set up in May after 60 people were killed and thousands displaced by anti-immigrant riots. Earlier this week, a high court judge rejected the human rights groups’ submission which argued that the closure will violate the rights of the displaced. The Constitutional Court was expected to rule on the last-ditch legal challenge on Friday.
