CAPE TOWN - Authorities are still scrambling to reach an agreement with a group of refugees living in a city church.

The group is adamant it wants to leave South Africa but authorities have repeatedly informed them that isn't an option. Instead, they've tried to persuade them that reintegration is the alternative.

But the group has been based at the church in the city centre for months now and they're not willing to budge.

And now they face another problem - their leaders are at loggerheads.

Hundreds of refugees moved to the church off Greenmarket Square after being forcibly removed from outside the UN Refugee Agency offices in October.

Months later, a dispute took place at the church and the protesting groups divided.

On Thursday, Papy Sukami was released on bail for robbery.

And another leader, JP Balous, has been charged with eight cases of assault and is back in court on Friday.

The two men represent opposing groups of foreigners occupying the church.

The Human Rights Commission's Chris Nissen said that two meetings were held this week with the refugees, Home Affairs, the UN Refugee Agency and the City of Cape Town.

"There's been no progress. We've been trying. They go from the meeting and when they go the people at the church, they just turn it to the opposite of what's been said in the meeting. I think we've reached the point where we say the law must take its course and they know what to do."