In the media

Refugees and asylum seekers receive substantially less protection from the government than they used to when the asylum system was first established in the 1990s. This is claimed by Lawyers for Human Rights and the African Centre for Migration and Society, in a new report published last week. The report, which monitors trends over the past two years, says South Africa has experienced a de facto policy shift in its approach to asylum seekers and refugees, although immigration policy has not been officially reviewed.

Lawyers for Human Rights's report “Policy Shifts in the South African Asylum System: Evidence and Implications” has found that South Africa is experiencing a major shift in its approach to asylum-seekers and refugees. It says the changes amount to a substantial reduction of protection culminating in the increased danger of sending people home to face persecution. Head of the Refugee and Migrant Rights Programme, Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh, speaks to 702's Midday Report about the findings.

South Africa is experiencing a major shift in its approach to asylum-seekers and refugees, Lawyers for Human Rights said yesterday. "The changes amount to a substantial reduction of asylum-seeker and refugee protection culminating in increased danger of sending people back to face persecution," it said.