PRETORIA - South Africas Department of Home Affairs has welcomed the recent endorsement of the Refugee Amendment Bill, development that paves the way for the country to shut out mainly Zimbabwean economic refugees from the asylum application system.Last Thursday, the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) endorsed the legislation which paves way for it to be signed into law by President Jacob Zuma.
Home Affairs spokesperson, Manusha Pillai, said while the law will reject economic asylum seekers, South Africa would uphold its reputation as a champion of human rights and the protection of the vulnerable.
The Refugee Amendment Bill aims to streamline the process of application for asylum by making it more efficient and credible for those who seek protection in South Africa, while ensuring that those who seek the abuse the system are not successful, Pillai.
The Bill also provides for the registration of a child born of an asylum seeker in terms of the Births and Deaths Registration Act, as long as the birth certificate is submitted at any Refugee Reception Office, in order to have the child included as a dependent of such asylum seeker or refuge.
There are an estimated 3 million Zimbabweans seeking sanctuary in South Africa. While it is believed many are so-called economic refugees, a high number of these fled political persecution by Zanu (PF) over the last decade.
That country will resume deportations of undocumented Zimbabweans in August.
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