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Refugees in South Africa (Part 1): They Are 'Teated Like Stray Dogs'

Miriam Mannak - 5/19/2005

The Cape Town Refugee Reception Office (CTRRO), which falls under the epartment of Home Affairs, has been accused of a dismally slow rate of processing asylum seekers' permits, known by refugees as a "Section 22". Human rights Lawyer William Kerfoot of the Legal Resources Centre says that he receives several reports a day of refugees who have to wait in queues for hours, day after day and in many cases weeks in a row.

"Many arrive at 4am, others sleep there to be the first in line to get the permit all asylum seekers in SA are entitled to," Kerfoot said.

"A Section 22 enables them to work and study while their application for a permanent refugee permit is being processed."

The document also gives refugees legal status as it protects them from being arrested. Without a "Section 22" they face the constant fear of being arrested on charges of being in SA illegally.

Kerfoot said that more than 1 100 refugees gather at CTRRO every day, but only a handful are processed.

"I know CTRRO is understaffed and underfunded, but this situation is inhumane. They have the right to get their documents," he said.

On Tuesday at 6.30am and again yesterday morning, the Cape Times went to the CTRRO. About 50 newcomers - men and women of all ages and a considerable number of small children - waited outside, glued to the building's wall to avoid the cold, strong wind.

Apart from an overhang there was no shelter against the strong summer south-easters.

The gates opened three hours later. The number of refugees had grown to more than 100.

David* from Uganda had arrived at 5am.

"Every working day I come here, for more than two months. Sometimes I sleep here, to be the first one in line," he said.

"No one talks to us, explains what is going on. We are ignored. But I need that document so I can make money for myself and to send some back home to my family. Currently my son is at home and not at school as my mother can't pay the school fee, which is about R500 a year."

Ironically, "David" himself worked with refugees in his country before he fled a few months ago due to his ties with the Ugandan opposition.

He explained how the office's first-come-first-served policy affects the chances of receiving a "Section 22".

"Women with children can't be here at 4am or sleep here so they end up in the middle or at the end of the line and miss out."

"Take her, for example," he said, pointing to a young woman with a toddler tied onto her back.

"She has been here many weeks without being helped. She is too late every time."

"We are treated as stray dogs, we don't feel welcome," said David.

"To think that African countries like mine helped our South African brothers who fled the apartheid regime makes me angry."

At 9.30am on Tuesday, 15 people entered the building. Soon afterwards the head of CTRRO, a Mrs Bester, who did not want to give her first name, ordered the remaining 100 people to leave.

"We took everyone we can take for today," she said.

No one moved.

Some men shouted, others begged for assistance while waving their application forms. A child was crying.

"Move from the gate. Tomorrow is another day. We can't take more of you people. We don't have enough computers or personnel," Bester shouted.

David walked away, his shoulders slumped.

"That is how it has been going for the last two months. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever get my papers."

The Department of Home Affairs said it is aware of the situation. "Refugee Affairs is undergoing a transformation process," said head of communications Nkosana Sibuyi.

"This process is a result of the growing number of refugees, more than we can handle at the moment, entering our country.

"I want to assure the people who are desperate they are welcome. We want to provide quality services to refugees. But this takes time."

* Not his real name
** Also published in The Cape Times.