Home Affairs gazettes new changes affecting asylum seekers
The move forms part of the government's broader review of migration policies and legislation.
The Department of Home Affairs has published proposals for new regulations that will impact how asylum seekers enter South Africa. These changes aim to streamline the processing of asylum applications following the Constitutional Court's recent ruling that refugees and asylum seekers should have access to processing centers, regardless of their entry method.
In July, the court declared certain provisions of the Refugees Act unconstitutional, leading Home Affairs to withdraw a directive on asylum seeker applications on 9 October. The department has now proposed disestablishing the Tshwane refugee reception office and establishing a new Beitbridge Refugee Reception Office. Additionally, asylum seekers are now required to apply in person at the Beitbridge office if they entered through specific ports of entry, or if their entry cannot be verified through other means.
The gazette also invites public feedback on the proposed changes before November 30, 2026. This aligns with the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration's plan to relocate Refugee Reception Offices closer to South Africa's borders, starting in December, to facilitate processing of asylum applications at points of entry.
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