Proposed changes to South Africa’s Refugee Act – including setting up “camps” close to the border – may aggravate xenophobia towards asylum seekers rather than provide much-needed relief‚ refugee policy experts warned on Monday ahead of a crucial debate in parliament.
Government has proposed setting up “processing centres” at strategic border posts to speed up adjudication of asylum applications amid a growing backlog of cases which has overwhelmed the system.
But the move has been slammed by some as a move towards refugee “encampment“‚ which is contrary to South Africa’s current approach of allowing asylum seekers to work in South Africa pending adjudication of their case.
By setting up border centres South Africa would be obliged to provide asylum seekers with free food and shelter in terms of international law‚ and this could fuel simmering resentment towards foreigners living in SA‚ experts warned.
“We feel it (processing centres) could actually exacerbate xenophobia because people will have to be fed and provided with shelter‚” said Roshan Dadoo from the ?Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA). Dadoo said the proposed amendments would result in “a lot of negative consequences not only for asylum seekers but generally for the concept of integrated societies.”
Corey Johnson from the Scalabrini Centre in Cape Town said shelters set up in the wake of xenophobic attacks in 2008 had prompted criticism from some quarters.
“After the attacks some people were upset that people in the camps were getting food and shelter for free‚” Johnson said.
Concerns that free services might antagonise local residents may also result in government providing miserly assistance‚ Johnson said.
Additional concerns about proposed legislative amendments include a lack of clarity around the fate of hundreds of thousands (estimates range between 80 000 and one million) of asylum seekers currently living and working in cities countrywide. DHA also stands accused of bulldozing the Refugees Amendment Bill despite an incomplete extensive Green Paper public participation process.
Home Affairs spokesman‚ Mayihlome Tshwete‚ defended the proposed changes‚ in particular the border processing centres. He said the policy could not be cared with refugee camps found in some other countries.
“Those people live in those camps – we are not advocating for that‚” Tshwete said. “We are just saying it (processing centres) is to process people as they are coming in.”
He added that this approach would protect them from exploitation commonly visited upon asylum seekers trying to fend for themselves.
By managing these facilities‚ government wanted to ensure they were properly regulated and maintained‚ Tshwete said.
But Dadoo believes the current enormous backlog of cases caused by a lack of manpower at refugee reception centres in the major cities did not inspire confidence in the proposed new processing centres.
“People remain with asylum seeker status for ten years. If they (DHA) can’t sort this out in major cities then how are they going to have this super efficient system in border areas? It doesn’t sound very likely‚” she said.
The Refugees Amendment Bill is due to be submitted this week to parliament’s Home Affairs Portfolio Committee on its way to the National Assembly.
- TMG Digital
Border centres for immigrants a worry for SA refugee experts
Proposed changes to South Africa’s Refugee Act – including setting up “camps” close to the border – may aggravate xenophobia towards asylum seekers rather than provide much-needed relief‚ refugee policy experts warned on Monday ahead of a crucial debate in parliament.
Government has proposed setting up “processing centres” at strategic border posts to speed up adjudication of asylum applications amid a growing backlog of cases which has overwhelmed the system.
But the move has been slammed by some as a move towards refugee “encampment“‚ which is contrary to South Africa’s current approach of allowing asylum seekers to work in South Africa pending adjudication of their case.
By setting up border centres South Africa would be obliged to provide asylum seekers with free food and shelter in terms of international law‚ and this could fuel simmering resentment towards foreigners living in SA‚ experts warned.
“We feel it (processing centres) could actually exacerbate xenophobia because people will have to be fed and provided with shelter‚” said Roshan Dadoo from the ?Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA). Dadoo said the proposed amendments would result in “a lot of negative consequences not only for asylum seekers but generally for the concept of integrated societies.”
Corey Johnson from the Scalabrini Centre in Cape Town said shelters set up in the wake of xenophobic attacks in 2008 had prompted criticism from some quarters.
“After the attacks some people were upset that people in the camps were getting food and shelter for free‚” Johnson said.
Concerns that free services might antagonise local residents may also result in government providing miserly assistance‚ Johnson said.
Additional concerns about proposed legislative amendments include a lack of clarity around the fate of hundreds of thousands (estimates range between 80 000 and one million) of asylum seekers currently living and working in cities countrywide. DHA also stands accused of bulldozing the Refugees Amendment Bill despite an incomplete extensive Green Paper public participation process.
Home Affairs spokesman‚ Mayihlome Tshwete‚ defended the proposed changes‚ in particular the border processing centres. He said the policy could not be cared with refugee camps found in some other countries.
“Those people live in those camps – we are not advocating for that‚” Tshwete said. “We are just saying it (processing centres) is to process people as they are coming in.”
He added that this approach would protect them from exploitation commonly visited upon asylum seekers trying to fend for themselves.
By managing these facilities‚ government wanted to ensure they were properly regulated and maintained‚ Tshwete said.
But Dadoo believes the current enormous backlog of cases caused by a lack of manpower at refugee reception centres in the major cities did not inspire confidence in the proposed new processing centres.
“People remain with asylum seeker status for ten years. If they (DHA) can’t sort this out in major cities then how are they going to have this super efficient system in border areas? It doesn’t sound very likely‚” she said.
The Refugees Amendment Bill is due to be submitted this week to parliament’s Home Affairs Portfolio Committee on its way to the National Assembly.
- TMG Digital
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