South Africa: Home Affairs Ministry Mulls Asylum Offices At Border Posts

Source: (BERNAMA-NNN-SANEWS) –, 17/09/2015

South Africa Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says the government
is considering establishing asylum offices at the country's ports of
entry, in an effort to improve the migration process.

This will enable asylum seekers to get their documents without
traveling long distances to Home Affairs offices and assist in
reducing the duration of getting one's documents.

Addressing the media, the Minister said the department is working on a
plan to have a one-stop service centre at all ports of entry to assist
asylum seekers.

"We believe that this is going to assist all migrants and asylum
seekers in acquiring their documents on time," the Minister said.

An asylum seeker is a person who has fled his or her country of origin
and is seeking recognition and protection as a refugee in South
Africa, and whose application is still under consideration. In the
event of a negative decision on his application, he has to leave the
country voluntarily or will be deported.

A refugee is a person who has been granted asylum status and
protection in terms of the Refugee Act. South Africa has an obligation
to grant protection to refugees and other persons in need of
protection under a number of United Nations Conventions.

Also in the pipeline is the introduction of an online appointment
system for migrants and asylum seekers in October.

Migrants and asylum seekers will, following the introduction of the
system, be able to make their appointments online and only have to go
to the offices to be assisted.

Minister Gigaba explained that the system will help prevent asylum
seekers from falling prey to corruption. Asylum seekers, in desperate
need of asylum documents, fall prey to corrupt officials who demand
bribes from them to assist them in acquiring documents.

The Minister said interpreters who used to assist asylum seekers will
no longer be available at the offices, but will be available
telephonically.

He was briefing media after meeting with the African Diaspora Forum on
Wednesday. The purpose of the meeting was to explore what needs to be
done by the department in partnership with stakeholders to improve the
quality of services offered to asylum seekers and refugees.

The African Diaspora Forum is an umbrella body of various migrant
communities living in South Africa.

"We are grateful to receive from the African Diaspora Forum concrete
proposals on the services rendered at some Refugee Reception Offices
in the country," he said.

African Diaspora Chairperson Marc Gbaffou said as an organisation they
are prepared to work with the department to find ways to improve the
conditions of asylum seekers.

Minister Gigaba has undertaken to meet with various formations with a
view to gathering their views and proposals on international migration.