Immigration

Refugee facing arrest in Congo ordered to leave SA

A 47 year old Congo-Brazzaville man has been told to leave South Africa though there is a search warrant (avis de recherche) out for him in his own country.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 25 February 2014

Ugandan doctor, released by Home Affairs, thanks South African activists

Paul Semugoma is free and can live and work in South Africa. This followed a dramatic day of court action and negotiations between lawyers representing Semugoma and the Department of Home Affairs.

GroundUp Staff

News | 20 February 2014

Three suggestions to improve the lives of thousands of people in South Africa

It has become taboo in much of the world to discriminate against people because of their religion, skin colour or sex. Despite recent setbacks the same goes for sexual orientation. Gradually we are realising that these are arbitrary distinctions, at least when it comes to law and policy.

Nathan Geffen

Opinion | 18 February 2014

Rights organisations contest reasons for Home Affairs directive

Director General of Home Affairs, Mkuseli Apleni, has given reasons why no new asylum seekers will be accepted at the Refugee Reception Office (RRO) in Cape Town.

Tariro Washinyira and GroundUp staff

News | 14 February 2014

Home Affairs uses “sad and bad” court ruling against refugees

The hopes of thousands of asylum seekers in the Western Cape have been dashed by Director General (DG) of Home Affairs (DHA) Mkuseli Apleni.

Brent Meersman

News | 4 February 2014

Lawyer to Home Affairs: treatment of asylum seekers is irresponsible, hard-hearted, incompetent

Hundreds of asylum seekers who have been living in Cape Town for more than five years and have renewed their documents more than twelve times are now undocumented. They may lose their work. They no longer have access to health, education, and bank accounts. And they are vulnerable to arrest, detention and deportation.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 29 January 2014

Home Affairs violates court order - man arrested despite effort to be lawful

A 21-year-old Somali man, Ibrahim Abdulkhadir from Malmesbury, was turned away from the Cape Town Refugee Reception Offices (RRO) on 5 July 2012 and denied an opportunity to collect his asylum document and legalise his stay in the country.

Tariro Washinyira

Feature | 22 January 2014

Police detain Zimbabweans for over 15 days

Three Zimbabwean men were detained at Richmond Police Station for over 15 days for being in the country unlawfully. The police were apparently waiting upon Immigration Services of the Department of Home Affairs to deport the men.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 22 January 2014

Zimbabwean kids detained after being smuggled into SA

The parents and relatives of six Zimbabwean children and five adults have found themselves helpless after malaichas (their smugglers) were arrested for human trafficking.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 11 December 2013

Cape Town’s last refugee processing centre might close

Human rights organisations have opposed the possible closure of the Cape Town Refugee Reception offices on the foreshore.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 11 December 2013

Tried twice for expired asylum papers: bureaucratic nightmare for Zimbabwean farm workers

The hardships and inconsistencies of the South African refugee system are illustrated by what has happened to Zimbabwean asylum seekers who work on a farm near Vanwyksdorp, a tiny rural town in the Western Cape, more than four hours drive from Cape Town, that is only served by gravel roads.

Tariro Washinyira and GroundUp staff

News | 28 November 2013

Problems with Home Affairs program to make it easier for Zimbabweans to work

In 2010, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) formulated an easier and quicker way for Zimbabweans to obtain their work permits and stay in the country legally. But it has not gone smoothly.

Nwabisa Pondoyi

News | 6 November 2013

Angolan who grew up in SA risks being sent back

Jesus Espirito Do Santos has lived in South Africa since he was three. He is at risk of being sent back to Angola where he was born. Yet he only speaks English and Afrikaans and canโ€™t speak Portuguese.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 5 November 2013

Slow, unresponsive and unconcerned: How the Health Professions Council hurts patients

The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is a statutory body that regulates health workers. It registers doctors and disciplines them if they do something wrong. If it had to perform its tasks properly, patients would benefit. Instead, according to several organisations and doctors, the HPCSAโ€™s inefficiency hurts patients.

Delphine Pedeboy and GroundUp Staff

News | 30 October 2013

Daily grind of a Zimbabwean mother

Nancy Muzembe, originally from Zimbabwe, struggles against all the odds to give her son a good education.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 29 October 2013

Home Affairs continues to defy court order and refuses to serve new asylum seekers

A decision taken in 2012 by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to stop processing new applicants at the Cape Town refugee reception office has resulted in asylum seekers having to travel long distances at great cost to be documented and renew their permits.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 23 October 2013