Watch: SA rejects majority of refugee applications

According to new reports by the UN Refugee Agency, South Africa has the highest number of asylum applications in the world – and it also has the highest rate of rejection. 

City Press decided to take these facts and figures to compare them with the reality of the situation on the ground. 

We spoke with Amnesty International and the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa, as well as some long-time refugees from the Congo. 

South African refugees face a wide variety of issues, ranging from a lack of welfare such as healthcare and education to a disconnect in integration policies and xenophobia. The situation is getting worse as xenophobic attacks are growing exponentially and incoming refugee numbers are decreasing. 

City Press explores the implications of such trends and what can be done by the home affairs department to alleviate these difficulties for a large portion of South Africa’s population.