Asylum seeker who died in Refugee Centre queue identified as Bangladeshi national

Posted on January 26, 2012  /  Comments Off

By Charis Le Riche

The identity of the refugee who died while waiting in a queue at the Refugee Reception Centre in Cape Town yesterday has not yet been released, but police have confirmed the 33-year-old man was from Bangladesh.

“The cause of death is still unknown. We are waiting for the Department of Health to give us a post-mortem report. No foul play is suspected and no one has been arrested,” said SAPS spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut.

The Department of Home Affairs is also launching its own investigation into the man’s death, according to spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa.

Langton Miriyoga, a member of refugee rights group Passop, said eyewitnesses reported that the man had a previous medical condition which was worsened by standing in the long queues in the heat at the Refugee Centre.

Miriyoga said he hoped that after this incident the Refugee Reception Centre would take more care of refugees by giving those with disabilities and medical conditions preference as well as ensuring that security does not mistreat refugees in the queues. “There needs to be better queue management at the Refugee Reception Centre. Refugees are people, too, and they have human rights.” © The Big Issue SA