Bulelani Mfaco is a South African former asylum seeker and activist in Ireland, and spokesperson for the

Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland The Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI) is an Irish advocacy group for those seeking international protection in Ireland, with the goals of ending direct provision and deportation. History MASI was founded in 2014 after the protests ...

Career

While in South Africa, Mfaco was involved in protests calling for better housing, access to land with

Abahlali baseMjondolo Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM, , in English: "the residents of the shacks") is a socialist shack dwellers' movement in South Africa which organises land occupations, builds communes

, healthcare and for improved policing. He was an active member of the Khayelitsha health forum and was branch secretary for the Democratic Alliance. Having applied for asylum in Ireland in 2017, Mfaco was placed in direct provision centres, first in Dublin, later in County Clare and County Limerick. Based on his experiences within this system, he joined the

(MASI) and now acts as their spokesperson. He has spoken out about the issues faced by members of the LGBT community within direct provision, as well as the sub-standard living conditions in many centres across Ireland, describing them as "ghettos in every sense of the word". He has described how victims of sexual assault are particularly vulnerable within direct provision, and that the way in which people are housed can leave people open to further attacks, particularly those in the LGBT community. He has written reports and documented life within the system, strongly advocating for it to be abolished. Despite holding a permit to work, Mfaco has only secured one hour of paid work since 2018, he claims due to Irish employers not understanding the permit given to asylum seekers. In 2019, Mfaco successfully appealed to the Press Council of Ireland in upholding a complaint against ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

'' for their publication of a racial slur. During the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

, Mfaco has spoken out about how living conditions within direct provision centres make social distancing or self-isolation impossible due to over-crowding and shared facilities. Mfaco is MASI's representative in the Expert Group established by Minister Charlie Flanagan and David Stanton to come up with a long term approach to the provision of material supports including accommodation for asylum seekers drawing from international best practice.

Personal life

Mfaco grew up in

Khayelitsha Khayelitsha () is a township in Western Cape, South Africa, on the Cape Flats in the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality. The name is Xhosa for ''New Home''. It is reputed to be the largest

in Cape Town. He has a degree in politics and public administration from the University of the Western Cape. He applied for a scholarship for a master's degree in

University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland ...

and moved to Ireland in 2015. Having experienced homophobia and attacks in South Africa, Mfaco applied for asylum in Ireland in 2017 on his return from South Africa, having completed his master's degree in 2016. At this point, he was moved into a direct provision centre in Balseskin, Finglas, Dublin. He has since lived in centres in County Clare and Knockalisheen, County Limerick. His application for asylum was rejected in July 2019, which he is appealing. He was granted permission to remain in February 2023.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mfaco, Bulelani Date of birth unknown Living people South African human rights activists South African LGBT rights activists Year of birth missing (living people)