Asylum seekers admit to paying between R3 500 and R17 000 to corrupt Home Affairs officials
The raids on refugee centers by Special Investigating Unit (SIU) officials on Friday revealed that asylum seekers have been made to pay for their documentation by corrupt Home Affairs officials.
These raids, which included a major operation at the Marabastad center, are part of an ongoing investigation into corruption allegations within the Home Affairs department.
Currently, 120 officials are under scrutiny for suspicious activities related to the awarding of refugee status.
“If they don’t want to give us paper, they must close this place and they must not welcome us into this country.”
Many asylum seekers outside Home Affairs’ Marabastad Refugee Centre have voiced their frustration over being compelled to pay bribes for their documentation.
Some applicants have told Eyewitness News that they are being charged between R3,500 and R17,000 in bribes to receive their papers.
“We don’t want to be illegal here in South Africa, we want to be here legally, that’s why we are suffering here. We want to get proper documentation from here.”
Foreign nationals spent a day outside Home Affairs offices without any assistance as SIU officials continue their much needed raid, seizing computers, laptops, cellphones, and documents.