HumanRightsDay Immigrants and asylum seekers say the process of getting legal documentation often involves having to pay bribes for assistance.
Dawson said though the development of an online system was needed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and created an avenue for the regularisation of permits while keeping people safe from infection, it had created challenges:
Other services RROs provided did not continue, including family joining and separation services, essential in circumstances such as when a women in an abusive relationship was joined to her husband’s refugee or asylum status. The woman was dependent on her husband for the regularisation of her status.
“This means new arrivals are undocumented and at risk of detention, deportation and exploitation,” she said.Many people expressed concern about “Dudula demonstrations” which caused fear and frustration. Migration patterns in SA are in line with global patterns of migration. Non-nationals in SA make up 4% to 7% of the total population and the number of asylum applicants is lower than in other African countries. There is no 'influx'Tensions flared in Alexandra when community members operating under the Dudula Movement umbrella, which is separate from Operation Dudula, called for the removal of illegal immigrants operating businesses in the area.