South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs plans to introduce a phased online registration and appointment system for asylum seekers by November 10, as the government seeks to manage applications and ease pressure on overcrowded refugee reception offices.
Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi announced the planned system as the government works to implement a Constitutional Court ruling allowing foreign nationals to access refugee reception offices regardless of whether they entered the country legally.
The announcement follows the withdrawal of a directive issued by the department on September 28, which triggered public unrest, including arson attacks in Soweto and Durban.
The unrest came amid concerns over the impact of asylum applications on Home Affairs offices, which had become overwhelmed following an earlier decision allowing foreign nationals to submit applications at the offices.
Kubayi, who chairs the interministerial committee on immigration, said withdrawing the directive would not remove the government’s obligation to comply with the Constitutional Court ruling.
She said the proposed online system was intended to help the department meet its legal obligations while managing the practical challenges associated with processing asylum applications.
Under the proposed arrangement, asylum seekers will be required to register their intention to apply for asylum through an online platform before receiving an appointment at a refugee reception office.
Applicants will receive an electronic receipt confirming their registration, together with an appointment date.
Applicants will also be required to submit their biometric information before receiving a reference number and appointment details, according to Kubayi.
The minister stressed that the registration receipt would not constitute a section 22 asylum seeker visa or confirm that an individual had been granted refugee status.
Instead, it would serve as evidence that the person had expressed an intention to apply for asylum, activating the legal protections associated with the application process.
Kubayi said the receipt would provide proof of the applicant’s intention to seek asylum and help the department implement the protections required under the law.
She added that border officials, immigration inspectors and Home Affairs employees would be instructed not to arrest, detain or deport people holding valid receipts solely because they did not have visas while their asylum applications were pending.
The proposed system is intended to establish an organised process for handling applications while preventing additional pressure on the department’s already strained administrative operations.
Kubayi said the government believed the approach would allow it to comply with the court ruling through a lawful and structured process that takes account of operational constraints and the public interest.
The government also plans to approach the court to request a supervisory order and a suspension period to give the department more time to implement the judgment.
According to Kubayi, the proposed order could provide additional time for Home Affairs to improve its administrative systems, strengthen staffing, upgrade infrastructure and expand its capacity to process applications.
She said the additional time would help the department implement the court’s decision effectively and sustainably, given the practical challenges involved in managing asylum applications.
See also: Nigeria Turns to Space Technology to Strengthen Military Operations
However, the online registration process will not allow people whose asylum applications have already been finally rejected to submit fresh claims simply by declaring a renewed intention to seek asylum.
Kubayi said people whose previous applications had been finally rejected occupied a different legal position because the law did not automatically entitle them to submit subsequent applications by expressing a new intention to apply.
She explained that such individuals could not reactivate the legal protection provided under section 2 of the relevant legislation merely by declaring their intention to seek asylum again.
The minister also warned that applicants who fail to attend their scheduled appointments without requesting an extension supported by a valid reason would have their applications discontinued and face deportation.
She stressed that the planned changes would not mean an end to immigration enforcement, adding that deportations had not been suspended and would continue while the government worked to implement the court ruling.
The government, she said, was seeking to balance its constitutional obligations with public concerns about immigration and the capacity of Home Affairs offices to process applications.
Kubayi acknowledged the frustration expressed by members of the public and said the government had taken note of their concerns. She appealed for patience as the new system was developed and said the government would formally seek the additional time it considered necessary from the court.
The planned online registration and appointment system is expected to provide a more structured way for asylum seekers to begin the application process, while allowing the department to manage appointments and administrative resources more effectively.
About the Author
Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
