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Report on human rights violations against refugees in South Africa
Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF)
July 23, 2007

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Report on human rights violations against refugees in South Africa
Highlighting human rights conditions at the Department of Home Affairs, Marabastad Branch, Pretoria, May-July 2007

1. Introduction

2. Refugee Laws: Exploring the UN, the African Union and South Africa

2.1 The UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951
2.2 The OAU Convention Governing Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa of 1969
2.3 The South African Refugees Act 130 of 1998

3. Findings

3.1 Alleged incidents of rape
3.2 Alleged incidents of robbery and muggings
3.3 Alleged exploitation
3.4 A hazardous way of life

4. Is There a Way Out?

5. Recommendations

6. Conclusion

7. July Revision

1. Introduction

The offices of the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF) witnessed a significant increase in Zimbabwean visitors seeking asylum in South Africa in May 2007. On a daily basis, asylum seekers from Zimbabwe experience extreme difficulty when attempting to pursue their cases at the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Office (Marabastad, Pretoria); however, due to the national service workers strike taking place in South Africa, Zimbabwean asylum seekers are facing amplified barriers at Marabastad. In addition to complaints of failure to access personnel at the Reception Office, there are serious allegations of incidents of corruption, rape, robbery, exploitation and bribery. In response to these allegations, ZEF undertook a mission to the Marabastad office to investigate.

This report presents a detailed account of ZEF.s findings and reconciliation of these findings with international and domestic refugee laws and principles. The ten days of research at the Marabastad Home Affairs Office in Pretoria. During the investigation, ZEF conducted a total of 33 interviews. The majority of the interviewees were Zimbabweans (18 Zimbabweans) and the remainder were people originating from Ethiopia, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan. All interviewees described acts of discrimination, corruption, robbery and exploitation.

Please refer to page 10 of this report for an updated account of ZEF's findings at the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Office in Marabastad, Pretoria.

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