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Asylum seekers' human rights conditions at the Department of Home Affairs Office (Marabastad Branch)
Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF)
July 23, 2007

The Minister of Home Affairs, Mrs. N.Mapisa-Nqakula
Department of Home Affairs
Private Bag X114
Pretoria, 0001

C.c. Director General,
Department of Home Affairs
Marabastad Branch, Pretoria

Dear Mrs. N.Mapisa-Nqakula,

RE: ASYLUM SEEKERS' HUMAN RIGHTS CONDITIONS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS OFFICE (MARABASTAD BRANCH)

This letter serves to inform you that the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF) is deeply concerned by the human rights conditions of the immigrants who are currently seeking asylum at the Department of Home Affairs Office (Marabastad Branch), located in Pretoria. Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF) is a registered non-political, non-profit organization which investigates and documents human rights abuses both in Zimbabwe and in the exile community in South Africa.

In the course of the previous months, ZEF has been investigating human rights conditions at the Department of Home Affairs Office in Pretoria. Our observations, combined with the numerous interviews conducted with asylum seekers have clearly demonstrated that the situation has become dire for the hundreds who wait outdoors for weeks on end in the hope of legalizing their status. Every day asylum seekers face robbery, muggings, bribery, verbal and physical abuse as well as a serious lack of access to basic human rights, such as access to water, food and sanitary facilities.

As highlighted in the enclosed report, ZEF is particularly concerned by the waiting time to meet with an official, which according to the interviewees, can last up to three months. ZEF is also deeply alarmed by allegations of exploitation by Home Affairs Officials. Therefore, ZEF recommends that serious investigations be undertaken to shed light on these grave allegations.

ZEF calls on the South African Government and your department to acknowledge the situation, to respect and fulfill your obligations to assist refugees in accordance with International Refugees Laws, to which South Africa has acceded. Such attention will require an immediate allocation of resources towards Zimbabwean refugees through a structured humanitarian plan. ZEF notably recommends that humanitarian support centers be set up in order to respond to refugees' needs, i.e. food, shelter, health care and education facilities. This plan should also define strategies to facilitate the repatriation process when the situation stabilizes in Zimbabwe.

Yours Faithfully

Gabriel Shumba
Executive Director and Human Rights Lawyer

Visit the ZEF fact sheet

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