Asylum seekers see red
An asylum seeker was assaulted by a guard resulting in a protest at the home affairs office in Marabastad.
Protests broke out when a Somali national was allegedly beaten up by a security guard at the Marabastad home affairs office on Wednesday.
Many Somalis started throwing stones at the building and blocked the streets towards Pretoria West.
According to victim and asylum seeker Ahmed Hassan, he was assaulted when he refused to leave the queue as instructed after he could not pay a bribe.
The SAPS and metro police had to be called in to restore calm around 11:00.
Another asylum seeker, Yahya Ali, told Rekord guards and home affairs officials at the Es’kia Mphahlele Drive office were corrupt.
“It’s a struggle to get our asylum papers in this place. When you have money it’s easier because the guards will let you in,” he said.
Ali said the officers denied asylum seekers entry if they did not pay a bribe.
“Usually you pay twice – an access fee to the guard and more for the official at the desk.”
“These people make a lot of money from us because they demand between R300 and R500.”
He said thousands waited outside the gate all day and were never helped.
“Only 800 people get their asylum [application forms] every Tuesday, the rest of us are without papers. The ones helped, have money to give to officials and the rest of us are not so lucky.”
Ali said a guard brutally assaulted one of his people.
“It made people angry and that’s why everybody took to the streets. We feel victimised and used by these people.”
Ali said he arrived in South Africa five years ago and had to “pay”, but was not willing to do so anymore.
“You pay and they tell you to return next week to collect. Upon collection, we have to pay again.”
Embet Sahlwe, an Ethiopian, said she could not apply for asylum because she could not afford the bribe.
“I travel all the way from Johannesburg every Tuesday, but I never get inside the building.”
Sahlwe said asylum seekers used to get a 12-month permit but now they only get a one or two week permit.
“The government must tell us if it doesn’t want us in the country and we will gladly go back home. Right now, I do not have papers and police will arrest me.”
She said some asylum seekers came all the way from Durban and Cape Town and were turned away because they could not pay the bribe.
No comment was received from the department of home affairs at the time of going to print.
Also read:
Somali man dies after shop fire
Another Somali shop owner attacked
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