Statistics of political asylum applications released to SAHA

In response to an access to information (PAIA) request submitted by the South African History Archive on behalf of the University of Witwatersrand’s Forced Migration studies Programme in 2006, statistics released this week by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs show the number of Zimbabweans who have applied for political asylum in South Africa since 2000, as well as those granted and refused refugee status.

Despite the perennial problems associated with accessing the asylum process, between 2000 and March 2008, 66,578 Zimbabweans applied for asylum. Of these 710 applicants were granted refugee status and 4040 rejected. Over 62,000 cases remain pending. The massive increases in 2005 to 2006 and in 2008 reflect repression related to Operation Murambatsvina and more recent violence associated with ongoing repression, and support the general human rights reporting and analysis coming from Zimbabwe that show the situation deteriorating.

No detail has been provided on registered appeals, or appeal outcomes and SAHA has been advised to request statistics from the refugee Appeal Board in this regard. In terms of PAIA, however, this aspect of the request should have been referred directly to the RAB by the DHA.