South Africa speeds up Zimbabwe asylum cases as 1000 arrive daily

By Violet Gonda
15 February 2006

The Zimbabwe Action Support Group in South Africa (ZASG) has expressed concern over the number of Zimbabweans being refused asylum in neighbouring South Africa. ZASG spokesman Rogers Mudarikwa said at least 1 000 Zimbabweans are risking their lives to get into the country daily. He claims South African authorities believe these are mostly economic immigrants, and have therefore started fast tracking asylum applications in order to force the Zimbabweans to go back home.

The process, which usually takes more than 6 months, is now reported to be taking two weeks.

Mudarikwa said the ZASG has had more than 200 appeals from people who had their asylum cases rejected since October last year. He said this is only in Pretoria and Johannesburg. There are many Zimbabweans in other areas such as Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein.

Human Rights lawyers, who are helping some of the immigrants, are said to have appealed to the South Africa Legal Aid body for help.

Zimbabweans are fleeing economic and political hardships in droves and making the expensive and sometimes very dangerous journey to neighbouring countries.