Refugees in Cape Town say they have nowhere to go.
1,583 refugees and asylum seekers have been staying at Paint City and Wingfield in Cape Town after they were moved there during the hard lockdown last year.
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the refugees have the option to voluntarily repatriate to their countries of origin or reintegrate with local communities.
The offer is set to expire at the end of April when the two temporary shelters close down and amenities are removed from the sites.
According to the Daily Maverick the group has demanded resettlement to Canada, citing fears of xenophobic violence in South Africa and problems acquiring documents from Home Affairs.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) however denied group resettlement as it contravenes international protocols.
Minister Motsoaledi said 390 had accepted local settlement so far.