Zuma reopens refugee centre
President Jacob Zuma says 95 percent of asylum applications are turned down by the Department of Home Affairs, because the applicants are not genuine asylum seekers.
"Most asylum seekers are actually economic migrants. When they get asylum permits, they use these to work, study and operate businesses. They know that they would not qualify for corresponding visas under the Migration Act," says President Zuma.
"It becomes easy to understand why the Marabastad Centre had been plagued with allegations of corruption," says President Zuma.
The president says the Refugee Act of 1998 is under review to primarily stop economic immigrants from abusing the asylum system to regularise their stay in the country for work or business.
"We appreciate the understanding and tolerance of the South African people," says President Zuma.
President Zuma was speaking at the opening of the revamped Desmond Tutu Refugee Centre in the west of Pretoria.
#Marabastad Zuma being shown how the new system works.
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) February 17, 2017
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WATCH #Marabastad Zuma meeting and greeting people at the centre.
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) February 17, 2017
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This man from the Democratic Republic of Congo says he is happy about the new system.
Across the street from the centre, South Africans living in a centre for the homeless say they've been forgotten.