Asylum seekers gather outside Durban refugee centre
Asylum seekers gathered outside Home Affairs’ Durban Refugee Reception Centre after access was reportedly blocked by the March and March movement, while a new directive requires officials to receive people who indicate that they want to apply for asylum.
Over a hundred asylum seekers occupied the Durban Refugee Reception Centre on Wednesday, surrounding the building and blocking access to Che Guevara Road. The protest erupted after the group was denied entry to the centre on Tuesday by the March and March anti-illegal immigration movement. The demonstration follows the implementation of a directive from Home Affairs instructing Refugee Reception Offices to receive individuals who come in person and express a desire to apply for asylum.
This directive was mandated following a July 2023 Constitutional Court ruling that deemed portions of the Refugees Act unconstitutional and invalid. The court's decision validated the Refugees Act provisions, which had previously barred individuals who entered South Africa illegally or failed to apply within specific timeframes from accessing the asylum system.
In the same week, Home Affairs reported processing 3,994 new asylum applications out of the 4,997 received, with all applications adjudicated within 30 working days. The department aims to continue this efficiency growth in the 2026/2027 financial year as it digitizes operations. The Durban refugee centre has been under scrutiny since displaced refugees occupied its grounds for four months, with roughly 150 people choosing to stay while the rest were transported to the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Krugersdorp.
From November 2023, illegal entry and residence within South Africa were predominantly from Zimbabwe (4,508), Malawi (3,487), Mozambique (3,325), and Lesotho (1,664). The Durban centre's situation intensified after displaced refugees took over for four months, but in July, the Constitutional Court declared certain Refugee Act sections unconstitutional, bolstering asylum seekers' legal rights.
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