Home >> Africa >> Republic of South Africa  Email  Print Refugees in South Africa (Part 5): Tackling the Problem Miriam Mannak - 5/23/2005 Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has paid a surprise visit to the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office and promised direct action to ease some of the "immediate challenges" faced by refugees, in-cluding the need for toilet facilities and queue management.
Her visit yesterday followed a series of Cape Times reports about problems faced by refugees waiting in line at the office to obtain their asylum-seekers' permit or "Section 22".
With this temporary permit, asylum-seekers may work and study while their applications for permanent refugee status are being processed.
A "Section 22" protects asylum-seekers from arrest as it gives them legal status.
The Cape Times reports exposed corruption at the refugees' office and violence by officials against refugees.
"The Department of Home Affairs acknowledges that you have immediate problems," Mapisa-Nqakula said to about 40 people waiting for their permits to be extended.
When she spoke about the Home Affairs' plans, however, most newcomers - refugees who didn't have documents yet - had left.
"Next Monday toilets will be delivered," she said.
"At the moment only those inside can access toilet facilities and those outside can't.
"We want to make your lives easier."
Mapisa-Nqakula also promised to arrange direct queue management.
"What happened here yesterday is related to poor queue management."
Mapisa-Nqakula referred to Tuesday's violence by officials against refugees who barged into the office.
Three men were taken to Somerset Hospital with sjambok marks, bruises and other injuries.
"That problem was also caused by yourselves," Mapisa-Nqakula said.
"I know many of you have been waiting for a long time but it is simply unacceptable to storm our buildings, even if you are desperate.
"If you break the law, it will take its course.
"Our staff were forced to protect themselves."
Mapisa-Nqakula said that in solving refugee-related problems, especially issues related to Tuesday's events, the department needed the assistance of the refugees.
"You must help us as well. Discipline those who are undisciplined," she said.
Mapisa-Nqakula said the de-partment would deploy four to five security guards to manage the hundreds of refugees who came to the office about a Section 22.
"We are also working on a strategy to shorten the process of providing you with the necessary documents," she said.
"You have to understand that this takes time.
"Our deputy director-general of immigration, who is in charge of dealing with your issue, was installed only in October last year. (This) is a new branch within immigration."
* Also published in The Cape Times. Miriam Mannak has degrees in Journalism, International Relations, American Studies and International Development Studies. As part of her studies, she's done research on crime in Netherlands, landmines in Cambodia, political, economical and social relations between US and Europ in 2003 versus transatlantic relations during Cold War, and the role of the UN in the genocide in Rwanda. Ms. Mannak currently resides in the Republic of South Africa, and in the past also lived in Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) and Holland. She worked for various publications, including De Telegraaf, Gooi - en Eemlander, Sp!ts, The Cape Times, Zuid-Afrika Huis, De Jonge Journalist and Backpackers Galaxy.
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