The Coalition Against Xenophobia (CAX) is planning a 24-hour picket at the Lindela Repatriation Centre near Krugersdorp, on Friday, to raise awareness about the conditions of illegal immigrants detained at the centre.

The CAX, which is calling for the closure of the centre, plans to present a memorandum of grievances to the organisers of Lindela.

A major complaint to be submitted was that arrests of immigrants were often "unfair and ungrounded".

CAX deputy CEO John Kabila said the coordinators of the 24-hour picket were expecting up to 2 000 people, consisting of members of the CAX as well as South African nationals who sympathised with the state of immigrants in the country.

The CAX said it believed that the Lindela Rrepatriation Ccentre represented all that was wrong with the South African government's immigration policies, arguing that the policies were based on the detection, detention and deportation of suspected illegal immigrants.

"These principles are based on the assumption that immigrants to South Africa are unwelcome," it stated.

Lindela has been condemned by various of human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch and the South African Human Rights Commission.

The CAX said that the human rights of those held at Lindela, have been found to be routinely violated, and that abuse and corruption was commonplace.
It has been reported that detainees are deprived of basics such as food and blankets, and are abused and beaten.

However, Department of Home Affairs head of communications Sioban McCarthy said that these allegations were unfounded.

She said in an interview that the department was working to improve conditions at the Lindela Repatriation Centre and the manner in which its occupants were treated.

McCarthy stated that accusations of abuse and corruption must be backed up, and appealed to the community to report any instances of misconduct.

The CAX has called for a complete overhaul of the government's immigration policies, and said that immigration should not be seen as a problem, but as an opportunity to enrich and strengthen society.

The CAX is a broad coalition of civil society organisations, social movements and individuals working against xenophobia.