LHR welcomes the promise of change at Marabastad Refugee Reception Office

Lawyers for Human Rights welcomes the Department of Home Affairs’ promise to address the deplorable situation at the Marabastad Refugee Reception Office in Pretoria.

Positive changes are already evident with the appointment of a new security company (after LHR observed multiple human rights abuses such as whippings and beatings committed by the previous Mofoko Security Company). 

Clients are now invited to wait inside the premises (rather than in the large space across from the offices where violence and corruption flourished previously) and the Department has promised to provide them with toilets. Increased managerial oversight is hoped to stamp out corruption at the RRO. Home Affairs’ leadership is working with LHR to identify corrupt officials and is taking appropriate disciplinary action against them.

LHR hopes these responses to the issues of corruption, violence and human rights abuses that have come to define the reception office will be adequate solutions and LHR looks forward to an era of refugee protection that respects the human rights and dignity of applicants.

LHR has long been concerned about the situation at Marabastad that saw asylum seekers and refugees sleeping overnight outside the office, susceptible to violence and exploitation. Asylum seekers were also treated without regard for their basic human rights and were regularly beaten with sjamboks.  No toilet facilities were in place and rogue “agents” operated with impunity.  Clients were forced to rush over a busy road to access the front gate of the office and this placed them in harm’s way of oncoming traffic.  No preference was given to elderly, pregnant or disabled people.

Mofoko often used a heavy hand when dealing with queues outside the reception office. In one case known to LHR, an asylum seker was once beaten unconcious.

While these problems will not disappear overnight, greater collaboration with civil society and a dedication to sort the situation out is promising and we look forward to observing the fruits of the changes this new leadership will bring.