South Africa August 2006 |
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| Report reveals poor treatment of migrants by SA police, (Business Day, 2006-08-08):-South African police often abuse and extort money from Zimbabweans streaming into SA after the collapse of their homeland’s economy, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The international human rights watchdog said the migrants were frequently detained in deplorable conditions and then deported with little attempt to verify their identity or legal status. Between 2-million and 3-million Zimbabweans are believed to be living in SA, many of them illegally, because of poverty and repression at home. Human Rights Watch said that the number of deportations of Zimbabweans had increased from 75 000 in 2004 to nearly 100 000 last year. “Rather than reflecting greater success in crafting immigration policy, these increases in deportations are more likely indicative of a growing number of undocumented migrants,” Human Rights Watch said. "Deported individuals often return almost immediately to SA, underscoring the limitations of the deportation policy." There was no immediate response from the home affairs department. Conditions at police stations used to detain the migrants pending deportation were deplorable, it said. There was no immediate response from the home affairs department. Conditions at police stations used to detain the migrants pending deportation were deplorable, it said. It cited the example of the border town of Musina, where more than 80 men, women, and children often slept outside the police station in a fenced area. There were only a few toilets and little drinking water. Each detainee was given a blanket but no mattress, it said. The 53-page study, which concentrated on the province of Limpopo bordering Zimbabwe, said that Zimbabweans working in SA without a valid permit were prone to abuse by police. It cited the case of a 25-year-old man who said he had been arrested five times in Johannesburg. He said police would arrest those who did not pay bribes. Zimbabweans entering SA legally require a visa issued with proof the traveler possesses a minimum of R1 050 in expenses for the trip, a sum beyond the reach of most. Zimbabweans sneak through the border crossings at night in the hope of finding work and somewhere to stay. Those who manage to find work settle for low paid jobs in construction or on farms where they are paid less than their South African counterparts and are frequently the victim of exploitation, Human Rights Watch said. The organisation urged the South African government to amend immigration laws by inserting provisions to protect migrants against arrest and deportation when their illegal status is due to bureaucratic deficiencies and to clamp down on abuse. | |
South African Migration Project (SAMP) - Queen's University - http://www.queensu.ca/samp |