A Department of Home Affairs (DHA) spokesperson vehemently denied continued allegations of corruption in the issuing of documents to asylum seekers at the Refugee Reception Centre at Musina show grounds.

In response to questions about the situation at the Musina Show Grounds, provincial spokesperson Sam Moremi said the allegations were unfounded and unsubstantiated.

“We are satisfied that reports of corruption are just allegations and until such time that proof is given to us, these allegations will remain as such. We have repeatedly asked members of the public to make use of the government’s anti-corruption toll free number, 0800 701 701, and as a department we have adopted a zero-tolerance approach to corruption from within and outside the Department,” he said, adding that their officials have so far proven that they discharge their duties with a high level of professionalism.

The latest allegation of corruption came a week ago when an asylum seeker at the show grounds confronted the visiting minister of Provincial and Local Government with the fact that he had been at the show grounds since December last year and had as yet not received his asylum document, “because I do not have the R200 to bribe the officials.”

It is alleged that processed asylum seekers do not receive their documents immediately after having been processed, as the law dictates, but at times have to wait for as long as three weeks to receive the document. In the meantime, they are being harassed by SAPS members if they move to feeding points without the document in ques-tion.

Moremi says all “refugee seekers” are being treated the same and there is no special treatment for Zimbabweans.

In spite of the dire situation in Zimbabwe reaching a new low during the past year, the DHA’s deportation of Zimbabweans, back to a situation of political prosecution, starvation and a serious cholera epidemic, amidst a total collapse of medical ser-vices in Zimbabwe, reached a record new high of almost 300 000 last year. According to Zimbabwe’s principal immigration officer at Beit Bridge border post, a total of 294 678 Zimbabweans were deported between Janu-ary and December last year. This is a sharp increase, compared to the 204 827 the previous year. The highest number of deportees was recorded in October last year when 27 219 Zimbabweans were de-ported. The lowest monthly number was 18 829 in March last year.

The DHA at present deports an average of 500 Zimbabweans daily through Beit Bridge, with the daily figure increasing to more than 2 000 on Thursdays and Fridays.

This continued mass deportation has been sharply criticised by international human rights organizations, who consider South Africa’s treatment of Zimbabweans as a blatant disregard for their most basic human rights and a clear transgression of the international principle of non-refoulement which is also enshrined in South Africa’s own legislation.