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Refugees in South Africa (Part 2): Preying On The Desperate

Miriam Mannak - 5/20/2005

The Department of Home Affairs is to investigate corruption at the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office following a Cape Times investigation that has found "agents" are allegedly colluding with officials in accepting payment to speed up the processing of residence permits. Home Affairs head of communications Nkosana Sibuyi said this after the Cape Times recorded telephone conversations between two refugees and two "agents" who demanded R300 to R350 in return for an asylum-seeker's permit or "Section 22", as it is known.

This document grants newcomers the right to study and work legally while their applications for permanent refugee permits are processed.

A Section 22 is issued free of charge, but the process can take weeks or months.

When the Cape Times, tipped off that corrupt officials were taking bribes, met refugees David* and Fabrice* at the refugees office last week, they said they had the names and cellphone numbers of "Roger" from the Democratic Republic of Congo and "Mubiru" from Uganda and that the two agents had ties with the refugee office.

David and Fabrice agreed to call the agents while being recorded by the Cape Times.

Within two minutes "Roger" offered his services, saying he charged R300 and promising a 100% chance of getting a permit.

"Come to the bus station at 4pm. I will be waiting," he said.

"Mubiru" was more hesitant. He wanted to know where his potential client was from and who gave him his number.

"Mubiru" initially refused to discuss fees, but relented after 10 minutes. He said he had to question potential clients as "there are spies at Home Affairs".

"(My fee is) R350 a person. It is very easy. You will surely have your permit," said "Mubiru".

Sibuyi said a unit had been established to clamp down on corruption in Home Affairs.

"We have zero tolerance when it comes to corruption," Sibuyi said.
More than 20 refugees have made allegations to the Cape Times that there is corruption at the refugee office. Among them is Paul* from Uganda, who said agents took their "clients" aside, wrote down their names, took their money and went into the Home Affairs offices.

"The agents enter through the main entrance, not the one where we wait, to hand over the collected names. The same day or the day after, these names are called by an official, who lets them inside the building."

Last week, the Cape Times reported that refugees often had to wait weeks, even months, for their "Section 22" permits and that, despite the long queues, only a handful of applicants were processed each day.

Paul said he had been approached by "Mubiru", who told him that for R250 he would get him his documents.

"If I had money, I would do it. I am tired of waiting. Hearing the stories about people who have been waiting for months makes me desperate," he said.

"I want my papers. I want to live. Now I can't work or study, but I can be arrested."

During the Cape Times's second visit to the refugee office, at least four people identified to this newspaper a third agent.

Through a handshake, he received something from the refugee and walked into the office through the entrance Paul had mentioned. The man returned shortly after and began a conversation with another refugee.

* Not their real names.
** Also published in The Cape Times.