100 arrested in clashes between police, foreign nationals in Cape Town

Police used water cannons and rubber bullets in an attempt to disperse the group.

More than 100 people were arrested.

Foreign nationals have been camping outside the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) offices in Cape Town, demanding the organisation them from South Africa for their own safety.

Provincial police spokesperson Novela Potelwa says the unrest was sparked by attempts to evict migrants engaging in a sit-in protest at the Waldorf building.

"Public order police have just taken action against people embarking in a sit-in protest at the Waldorf building in Cape Town," says Potelwa.

"The police are in the area to support the sheriff in executing a court order to evict about 300 refugees and asylum seekers who have been occupying the building in a sit-in protest for quite some time."

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Potelwa says efforts to engage with the group had previously failed.

"The SAPS in the Western Cape is aware of earlier efforts to engage the group facilitated by role players such as the UNHCR to resolve the impasse in an amicable manner. Unfortunately the attempts yielded no positive result."

The unrest cast a dark cloud over the CBD, not far from where Finance Minister Tito Mboweni was set to deliver his much-anticipated mini budget in the National Assembly.