Programme News
19 August 2015
(News)
The fifth annual Public Interest Law Gathering (PILG) was held at the University of the Witwatersrand last month, and provided South African lawyers and civil society with an opportunity to reflect on issues affecting the public interest sphere and to discuss ways in which the law can be used as a tool for social change.
As in all previous years, the event featured fascinating discussions on...
12 August 2015
(News)
The Department of Home Affairs said it will comply with the Constitutional Court's order to re-open the refugee centre in Port Elizabeth.
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Refugee Rights Centre challenged the closure of centre in the High Court in February 2012 and won the case in 2013.
The department appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeal which ruled against it.
The closure...
11 August 2015
(News)
On Wednesday, the Constitutional court dismissed an application by the department of home affairs to appeal a Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) judgment that declared its decision to close the Port Elizabeth refugee office unlawful.
This means that the SCA judgment stands.
Asylum seekers and people wishing to be granted refugee status have to apply for in person at a refugee office, such as the one...
11 August 2015
(News)
The media and the public will now be allowed to attend asylum seekers’ appeals when conducted following the adoption of the Refugee Amendment Bill.
Parliament’s portfolio committee on home affairs adopted the bill last week.
The bill would ease asylum seekers’ appeals and refugees’ applications to maintain their status in the country as it would fast-track both processes,...
11 August 2015
(News)
A Western Cape Cape High Court judge is facing a legal conundrum after three illegal immigrants arrested during a national clampdown – Operation Fiela – turned to the courts to test the lawfulness of their detention.
Judge Dennis Davis found himself on the verge of “pulling out his hair” on Friday when he was faced with arguments for and against the release of the three...
6 August 2015
(Press release)
The Constitutional Court has refused the Department of Home Affairs’ application for leave to appeal March’s ruling in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) that the Port Elizabeth Refugee Reception Office (RRO) be reopened.
The SCA had ordered Home Affairs to reopen the RRO and provide full services by 1 July 2015. The Department then appealed the ruling in the Constitutional Court where...
28 July 2015
(News)
Researchers have warned that disturbingly high levels of corruption in the Asylum Seeking Process may soon spread to other areas of the public service.
For the first time, the African Centre for Migration and Society, together with Lawyers for Human Rights, conducted research which shows that close to a third of migrants is experiencing corruption.
Senior researcher, Roni Amit, says many...
28 July 2015
(News)
Children seeking asylum will now be included in their caregiver’s application‚ regardless of whether they are biological relatives‚ Lawyers for Human Rights and the Centre for Child Law said.
This follows a ruling by the North Gauteng High Court on Thursday that all children entering South Africa with an relative applying for asylum will be a regarded as a dependent of the...
28 July 2015
(News)
The Department of Home Affairs has gone into damage control mode following a report that listed its Marabastad office as its most corrupt.
In response to the damning finding, in which Durban was found to be the least corrupt, at 3%, the department has set up Operation Bvisa Masina - Vendan for "throw out the rot" - to restore order throughout Home Affairs branches.
A response team...
27 July 2015
(News)
A report by Lawyers for Human Rights and the University of the Witwatersrand-based African Centre for Migration and Society, released this week, paints an ugly picture of the culture of bribery in South Africa’s refugee reception offices.
If we took the time to understand what drives anyone to leave the country of their birth - at times leaving behind loved ones such as children, spouses,...