March and March shuts Durban refugee centre - IOL

A confrontation at Home Affairs’ Refugee Reception Centre has brought asylum applications to a standstill.

An anti-migrant group has shut down the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre on Durban’s Che Guevara Road, bringing asylum applications to a standstill as undocumented migrants seek to enter the refugee system.

The latest confrontation comes as Home Affairs has been directed to accept asylum applications from undocumented people who indicate that they want protection in South Africa, following a Constitutional Court ruling that strengthened access to the asylum system.

The development has reignited fierce debate over whether people who entered SA unlawfully should be allowed to apply for refugee status, with anti-migrant groups arguing that the system could be exploited by people seeking to avoid immigration enforcement.