Asylum centre security chief removed

A security chief at the home affair department refugee centre in Cape Town has been removed from his post for alleged corruption, the Cape Argus reported.

Home affairs department provincial head Yusuf Simons, reportedly said the head of the Customs House refugee centre was being investigated.

He said a home affairs supervisor allegedly saw the security official in question taking a bribe.

Many refugees had reportedly complained that security staff were demanding cash in return for helping them make progress in the queue.

The newspaper previously reported that many were forced to sleep outside to have a chance of getting to the front of the queue.

Simons said the centre was in the process of making new arrangements for refugees applying for extensions and had appointed more staff.

"We decided last week that instead of just extending asylum seeker permits, we also want to start finalising cases sooner," Simons told the newspaper.

"We have scheduled more interviews with asylum seekers as a result."