The City of Tshwane has been dragged into a bid initiated by residents to evict hundreds of foreign nationals camping outside the UN High Commission for Refugees in Brooklyn.

According to a Pretoria News report, the Brooklyn and Eastern Citizens Association and Waterkloof Homeowners Association indicated in an urgent court application that it wanted the city to enforce its by-laws.

The policy in question prohibits campers from cooking and making fires on pavements.

Their application is likely to be heard in the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) on 5 November. Minister of Police Fikile Mbalula, his Home Affairs counterpart Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and the UN High Commission were named as respondents.

Together with the station commander at Brooklyn police station, Mbalula and Motsoaledi must identify those among the group who were in the country illegally, according to residents.

They want those fingered in unlawful activities to be arrested.

In terms of the court papers, the city should be taken to task for not enforcing by-laws related to waste management and solid waste, which prevented the dumping of litter.

The campers are also faulted for sleeping in the streets, using them as ablution facilities and littering.

The report notes the foreign nationals appeared to be unperturbed by calls for them to vacate the site, saying they would remain there until the UN decided to evacuate them from the country to safer places elsewhere in the world.

Full Pretoria News report