Status Report on Refugee Reception Offices Presented by Chief Director: Asylum Seeker Management to the Home Affairs Portfolio Committee 29 th June 2011

Introduction  There are currently five designated Refugee Reception Offices in five of the nine Provinces in the country located in:  Musina (Limpopo)  Cape Town (Western Cape)  Port Elizabeth (Eastern Cape)  Durban (KwaZulu-Natal)  Marabastad (Tshwane - Gauteng) Main Office  PTA Show Ground (Satellite) which houses the previous Crown Mines Operations  The location of these offices in all the provinces is in the city centres

Closure of Crown Mines On 25 March 2011, a court order instructing the Department to close the JHB Refugee Reception Office within a period of 60 days was issued. The Department took a decision to relocate the Crown Mines operation to Pretoria Showground Currently, all clients that were serviced from Crown Mines are expected to report to the Centre located in the Pretoria Showground A process has been designed to inform all concerned including staff and clients on the relocation The Department has had to reprioritise its resources to accommodate this unplanned relocation The relocation process has been designed in such away that there is minimum disruption and compromise to the services to the clients

Status of RRO Lease Agreements OfficeBuilding Ownership Status of Lease AgreementCurrent Status Johannesburg PublicCourt ordered to move out by 31st May 2011 Operations being relocated to Pretoria Pretoria Marabastad PublicGovernment OwnedMain office for Pretoria Operations Pretoria Showground PrivateLeaseRenting on a month to month basis whilst looking for alternative Cape Town PrivateCourt order to move outRenting on a month to month basis whilst looking for alternative Port Elizabeth PrivateExpires on the 30th November 2011 Still operating Durban PrivateExpires on the 31st October 2011 Still operating Musina PrivateExpires on the 31st August 2013 Still operating, require increased capacity

Factors contributing to the unprecedented demand for service SCRA conditions in Section 22 undermine the Immigration Act and act as pull factor The perceived sustainable livelihood/better socio-economic opportunities – attract economic migrants who clog the Asylum Seeker System and results in unmanageable demand at the Centres Challenges faced by the country in the management of its borders South Africa used as a transit to the world beyond Absence of a regional approach in managing asylum seekers and refugees

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Current Considerations for Refugee Reception Offices  The Court Orders served to Cape Town and Crown Mines has resulting in the closure of operations in Johannesburg  Threats to evict in Musina and Port Elizabeth  Refugee Reception Offices being situated inappropriately zoned areas (Industrial areas)  Ever-increasing demand for services leading to complaints of nuisance by Business owners

Thank You