Zim refugees flock to SA

2003-08-08 14:50

Donwald Pressly

Cape Town - The number of applicants from Zimbabwe who applied for refugee status in South Africa rose dramatically between 2001 and 2002, according to Home Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

In reply to a question from New National Party MP Richard Pillay, Buthelezi said that there were 13 applicants from Zimbabwe in 2001 but 305 in 2002.

The minister said that in 2001 two applicants were granted refugee status and in 2002 none.

In 2001 no application was rejected and in 2002 five were rejected.

"The five applications were rejected as their claims were unfounded.

They included economic migrants whose intention was to seek employment or persons who had been residing illegally in the RSA for some years without applying for asylum and are now taking advantage of the situation in Zimbabwe.

"The rest of the cases have not been finalised by the various refugee reception offices yet due to staff shortages," the minister said.

- I-Net Bridge (Business)