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Life as an asylum seeker in SA’s broken immigration system

For years seeking asylum has been near impossible

Asylum seekers queue outside the Refugee Reception Office in Gqeberha in October, shortly after Home Affairs announced offices would reopen. The decision was reversed days later after anti-immigrant protests and violence. Photo: Joseph Chirume
Coming from Zimbabwe was like jumping from the frying pan into the fire, said Brian, who asked that his surname not be published.
He came to South Africa in 2022. He was earning R8,000 a month working as a bartender in Summerstrand, Gqeberha, but in June, in the wake of the anti-immigrant group March and March’s campaign, his boss demanded a valid permit. He has been unemployed since. He lives in Kamvelihle with his wife, who works two days a week, earning about R2,400 a month…

Read More: Life as an asylum seeker in SA’s broken immigration system.

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  2. My teacher pointed at me with her ruler and said that at the end of this ruler is a dumb. Then I asked which end and I got a detention.