‘Bribes demanded for asylum’

ASYLUM-seekers at the Desmond Tutu refugee reception centre in Marabastad‚ Pretoria‚ say they are subjected to ill-treatment and demands for bribes.

One of the asylum seekers‚ who spoke through a fence at the facility‚ said they faced pressure to give cash to rude officials.

“If you don’t give money‚ you don’t get asylum,” the man, originally from Bangladesh, said. “It is five weeks I’m coming here and no asylum.”

A man from the Democratic Republic of Congo said: “It has been months [of me] coming here but the officials inside want R2 000. Where am I going to get that money?” TimesLIVE was at the facility during a visit by DA provincial leader John Moody.

Initially‚ he was told by security guards that he could not enter. Finally‚ he was allowed in but no journalists could accompany him.

“People are intimidated. It is as if they are here at the mercy of these officials,” Moody said.

Also yesterday, DA MP Haniff Hoosen visited the Durban refugee reception office‚ which he said was one of the offices worst affected by the closure of the Cape Town and Port Elizabeth reception offices.

The visit followed reports that the Durban office was fully booked and unable to schedule appointments for new applications until August.