2 August 2007
Following media reports on Zimbabwean nationals said to be entering South
Africa illegally and calls for the government to set up a Refugee Camps in
Musina, the Department of Home Affairs wishes to convey to the public a report
on the travelling patterns at the Beitbridge Port of Entry since the beginning
of this year.
During the period 1 March to 31 July 2007:
* A total of 104 118 South Africans and 351 372 of Zimbabweans arrived in
the country through Beitbridge.
* A total of 102 099 South Africans and 291 621 Zimbabweans left the country
through the same border gate.
The department's statistics show no significant changes in arrival and
departure patterns over this period. While there is no change in the number of
legal migrants, recently there have been recorded increases in the number of
people entering South Africa illegally. Between 1 January and 30 June 2007, a
total of 1 917 persons applied for asylum permits in South Africa. Of these
applicants 938 came from Democratic Republic of Congo, 433 from Ethiopia, 443
from Somalia and a smaller number from other countries. Only one person from
Zimbabwe is recorded as having applied for asylum at this port of entry.
According to International Conventions on refugees and based on South
Africa's own Refugee Act, a refugee is a person who is outside his or her
country of nationality or habitual residence, has a well founded fear of
persecution because of his or her race, religion, nationality, membership in a
particular social group or political opinion and unable to return home for fear
of persecution. As can be seen from the records virtually no people from
Zimbabwe have applied for asylum in this country.
Calls for the establishment of refugee camps would thus seem to be
misplaced. Significantly, neither the United Nations International Children's
Emergency Fund (UNICEF) nor United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has
indicated the existence of an influx of refugees in South Africa.
Enquiries:
Jacky Mashapu
Cell: 082 885 8449
E-mail: Jacky.Mashapu@dha.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Home Affairs
2 August 2007
Source: Department of Home Affairs (http://www.dha.gov.za)
