Marabastad refugee reception office the most corrupt
Significant levels of corruption at various stages of the asylum process were revealed in research by Lawyers for Human Rights and the African Centre for Migration & Society.
Thabang Kuaho
The Marabastad refugee reception office is the most corrupt in the country.
This was revealed by research done by Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) and African Centre for Migration and Society (ACMS) at the five refugee reception offices in the country.
It is based on a survey of more than 900 asylum seekers and refugees questioned at the Marabastad‚ Tshwane Interim‚ Cape Town‚ Musina and Durban refugee reception offices.
The one in Pretoria was given the dubious distinction of being the most corrupt. Applicants were often being compelled to pay for services supposed to be free of charge. Some even had to pay merely to queue for services.
A statement by the LHR and ACMS said about a third of people approached at the five reception offices said they had been asked to pay money at the centres.
“Those who had experienced this had been asked an average of 4.4 times,” the statement read.
The researchers said people involved in corruption included security guards, interpreters, refugee reception officers and police officers.
Significant levels of corruption at the various stages of the asylum process were found in the report.
“In particular, the experiences of asylum seekers and refugees indicate corruption is a very real problem at the refugee reception offices.”
Payment was linked to payment, documentation, status and renewals as well as other services tied to the asylum process.
The refugee reception office in Durban was found to be the least corrupt one.
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