Disgruntled asylum seekers who spoke to The Zimbabwean, most of them on condition of anonymity, said such officials were working in cahoots with security guards and charge them up to R500 to extend the validity of their Section 22 permits.
Home Affairs grants an asylum seeker a Section 22 permit while it processes their application for refugee status. The document’s validity is extended every six month.
However, the permits of some Zimbabwean asylum seekers recently expired but they could not manage to extend their validity owing to congestion at the two Home Affairs refugee reception centres in Pretoria.
The closure of the sole reception centre in Johannesburg recently and the demand for the Section 22 permit ahead of the resumptions of the deportations of undocumented Zimbabweans sparked the congestion, leading to Home Affairs struggling to cope.
An asylum seeker said he had been approached by a security guard who offered to help him extend his expired permit.
“He said he would assist if I paid R500. That is a ridiculous amount of money considering that I am not working,” he said.
During an investigation at the Marabastad Refugee Reception Centre by this reporter, a Home Affairs ‘agent,’ believing this reporter was an asylum seeker, pledged to help if parted with a similar amount of cash if this reporter’s permit had expired.
Home Affairs have not responded to questions sent to them by The Zimbabwean.
Some Zimbabwean asylum seekers fear the possibility of arrest and possible deportation.
“I am now an illegal immigrant, which paves way for my arrest,” said Buhle Ndlovu of Johannesburg.
Human Rights Watch pledged with the South African government not to deport these.
“South Africa may not deport registered asylum seekers or newly arrived Zimbabweans arrested in South Africa,” said Gerry Simpson, Senior Researcher and Advocate, Refugees Program.
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