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4 Jun 2012

Services currently rendered to asylum seekers and refugees from the Maitland Refugee Reception Office in the Western Cape will, effective 30 June 2012, be rendered from Customs House on the Foreshore in Cape Town.

The Refugee reception office moved from Nyanga to Maitland following a court order brought against the department by the business community in the area on the grounds that the office constituted a nuisance factor.

In addition, the landlord of the premises currently housing the Refugee reception office in Maitland, earlier this year informed the department of his intention to bring the lease agreement to an end on 30 June 2012.

As a consequence of the court order and the ending of the lease agreement, the department has decided that effective 30 June 2012, the Maitland Refugee reception office will be closed.

Following consultations with the relevant stakeholders, including the Home Affairs Parliamentary Portfolio Committee, the department will therefore, effective 30 June 2012, implement certain contingency measures. 

In this regard:

• Customs House on the Foreshore in Cape Town has been identified as a temporary facility from which to finalise all outstanding applications for asylum in South Africa.
• Besides the processing of new applications and applications for Refugee Identity Documents (IDs) and travel documents, all other services will also be offered at Customs House.
• Refugees holding section 24 permits can submit their applications for refugee ID and Travel documents at Cape Town Regional office to facilitate faster processing of these documents.
• New applicants will be directed to other Refugee Reception Offices to submit their applications.

Contact:
Manusha Pillai
Cell: 082 389 3587

Issued by: Department of Home Affairs
4 Jun 2012

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