SA-ZIMBABWE BORDER: COPING WITH CONTINUED HEAVY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRETORIA 000994 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PREF KTIP SF SUBJECT: SA-ZIMBABWE BORDER: COPING WITH CONTINUED HEAVY IMMIGRATION REF: A. 08 PRETORIA 1680 ¶B. 08 PRETORIA 2677 ¶C. PRETORIA 770 ¶D. PRETORIA 771 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. A May 7-8 visit to the South African and Zimbabwean border towns of Musina and Beitbridge found the border zone was beginning to normalize despite continued heavy flows of Zimbabwean migrants into South Africa. The SAG's halt in deportations has reduced migrants' vulnerability to police harassment and criminal exploitation, but NGOs still struggle to provide protection, particularly to unaccompanied minors and women for whom shelters are full beyond capacity. Although the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is making stepwise adjustments to alleviate documentation bottlenecks, most notably via a planned identity card for Zimbabweans, the SAG urgently needs a broader socioeconomic strategy to absorb the influx of destitute foreign jobseekers without triggering renewed xenophobic backlash. End Summary. -------------- 2008-9: Ongoing Border Saga -------------- ¶2. The last year has been a chaotic one on the SA-Zimbabwe border, in tandem with events inside Zimbabwe. The first half of 2008 saw growing numbers flee Zimbabwe's political uncertainty and economic deterioration, making their way to DHA centers in Pretoria and Johannesburg to apply for asylum as a means to remain and work in South Africa. To address these crowds at the source, SAG established an asylum processing center in Musina in July (ref A). That model operation was quickly overwhelmed, as word got out of its efficiency. By year-end, DHA had moved to temporary trailers at Musina's showground, where thousands queued for permits in dismal camp-like conditions (ref B). The SAG abruptly cleared the site in March 2009, introducing faster processing options to avoid backlogs and disperse migrants onward throughout the country. While the border remains busy (with busloads of migrants into Musina, and truckloads of goods out to Beitbridge),Musina once again feels more like a waystation, i.e. less congested than previously. -------------- End to Deportations Has Reduced Threats... -------------- ¶3. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) stressed that inflows were unabated, posing protection problems. Musina program manager Mohamed Hassan estimated 
there were about 400 new arrivals in DHA queues on an average day, although on occasion numbers had surged over 2,000. The good news is that SAG's new policy to halt deportations (declared in April, and implemented by May) has eliminated the threat of police arrest and detention, in turn reducing vulnerability to criminal elements preying on migrants. Beitbridge manager Nick van der Vyver noted, however, that some degree of police harassment and even sexual abuse would likely persist, as "It's become a habit." The notorious "SMG" detention facility is officially closed for deportations, although police use it for overnight lock-up of undocumented foreigners to be delivered to DHA the next morning. -------------- ...but Musina Lacks Protection Capacity -------------- ¶4. While rights violations may have been reduced, however, humanitarian resources in Musina remain overstretched, with shortages of food, shelter, and medical care. IOM and Qshortages of food, shelter, and medical care. IOM and Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) both say many Zimbabweans are remaining on the outskirts of Musina in growing informal settlements, either because they lack funds to travel further into the country, or they hope to find farm work or day jobs locally, or they want to remain closer to home. Whether in Musina or in Johannesburg, van der Vyver worries that migrants are clustering together seeking work in the same few places, due to a lack of information on alternative job opportunities that could help distribute the migrant burden. PRETORIA 00000994 002 OF 003 ¶5. MSF continues to provide free medical care and hospital referrals from tents beside the showgrounds, but NGOs and local church groups are struggling to provide some measure of shelter and food to migrants. The "I Believe in Jesus" church site is a vacant lot in which about 450 adult men sleep on the ground with only a tarp overhead. A one-room shed serves as a kitchen to prepare an evening meal. About 50-80 abused women and their children are housed elsewhere in more proper buildings, sustained by IOM and local churches. Another dorm-style building is dedicated to unaccompanied minors who receive community donations and are enrolled in local schools. ¶6. In its own offices Save the Children UK (SC-UK) is housing about 20-30 unaccompanied minors, down from a peak of 189 kids after the showground closure. Program director Lynette Mudekunye readily admits the situation is "far below any minimum standards," but since it beats leaving the kids on the street she has the full support and cooperation of the Department of Social Development (DSD). The latter is attempting to create temporary licenses to enable more such housing, even if makeshift. SC-UK is working to distribute kids to shelters elsewhere in South Africa and to integrate some into the local community. For more vulnerable younger children and girls, the preferred option is to hand them off to any relatives in South Africa -- even at the risk that such expedient measures might lack usual safeguards against child trafficking. -------------- Documentation: Steps toward Full Mobility -------------- ¶7. DHA is taking steps to speed admittance of Zimbabwean migrants into South Africa and to facilitate the mid-term legalization of their stay. In early April, the outgoing Home Affairs Minister announced a "special dispensation" identity card to be issued to Zimbabweans (ref C) enabling them to remain in the country (and also travel back and forth to Zimbabwe),work, and avail themselves of education and health care. The dispensation will be renewable indefinitely at a national policy level rather than by individual cardholders, easing the clogged asylum system, which is anyway a poor fit for Zimbabwean migrants seeking work. That permit is expected to take some weeks to be rolled out by the new Zuma administration, with no implementation dates yet announced and many operational details still to be ironed out (ref D). ¶8. While awaiting rollout of the dispensation, in early May DHA border officials began issuing automatic visas to any Zimbabweans with passports or travel documents. These are the same green stickers commonly issued in the past to tourist or business visitors, now extended to all Zimbabweans without need for any travel justification, and with the note "visit / work" hand written by DHA officers. Since most Zimbabwean migrants lack travel documents, which are now scarce in Zimbabwe and prohibitively expensive for most migrants, DHA is working to create a special identity document to facilitate crossing from Zimbabwe to South Africa, but again any cost will be a hurdle to take-up. IOM predicts that migrants will continue making the dangerous Limpopo River crossing, or simply bribe border officials to enter. ¶9. For Zimbabweans already in South Africa, or crossing Q9. For Zimbabweans already in South Africa, or crossing informally without documentation, DHA continues to process asylum applications at the Musina showgrounds, as a bridge measure until the dispensation cards are implemented. -------------- Integrated Strategy Needed -------------- ¶10. COMMENT: The planned "dispensation" permit is an important constructive step in assisting Zimbabweans, but documentation is only the first of migrants' myriad needs. With conditions inside Zimbabwe remaining difficult, increased mobility and immunity from deportation may draw even larger numbers to South Africa. As Home Affairs becomes more efficient at regularizing their stay, the departments of Education, Health, and Labor must plan and budget for increased service provision. Provincial and local governments should help coordinate alternative accomodation for the burgeoning homeless populations such as are camped at PRETORIA 00000994 003 OF 003 the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg. Having enabled Zimbabweans to remain, the SAG must explain its policy rationale and benefits to South African citizens, and address challenges of economic support and social integration, lest the Zimbabwean influx fuel a xenophobic backlash as seen this season last year. End Comment. LA LIME