Government plans to introduce ‘immigrant camps’
Government has proposed changes to the Refugee Act, which will allow it to process incoming refugees at encampments, in a move that has been heavily criticised by analysts as promoting xenophobia in South Africa.
According to a report by Business Day, the new processing centres will be based at strategic border posts to speed up asylum applications. In terms of current international conventions, this will also require government to provide both free food and shelter to any of the asylum seekers who are being screened for entry.
However, grouping foreigners in a single place and providing basic free services is a recipe for disaster according to both the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in SA and the Scalabrini Centre in Cape Town.
They note that not only would it physically segregate migrants coming into the country, but the fact that government was spending money on helping feed and house the immigrants would likely antagonise local residents to whom government is currently providing “miserly assistance”.
The parties have also raised concerns as to the costs of the programme and how it will effect the millions of asylum seekers currently living and working in cities across the country.
The bill is expected to be submitted to parliament’s home affairs portfolio committee this week.
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