In a written parliamentary reply to a question posed to Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber, the department provided a detailed breakdown of asylum applications by year, country of origin, processing durations, and outcomes. The data paints a picture of a system under significant strain, and potentially out of sync with its humanitarian obligations.

Application Trends and Origin Countries

Between the 2019 and 2024 financial years, the Department received a total of over 71,000 asylum applications. Numbers spiked dramatically in 2019 (26,453) and again in 2023 (20,456), before dropping to 7,086 in 2024, a decline that could reflect either improved border control, deterrent policies, or barriers in access to the asylum process.

Top countries of origin remain consistent: Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Somalia, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe dominate the asylum seeker pool. Ethiopia alone accounted for nearly 10,000 applications over five years.

This geographic spread reflects a combination of regional instability, economic hardship, and protracted conflicts, particularly in the Horn of Africa and Central Africa.

Perhaps most alarming is the protracted average time it takes for the department to finalise asylum decisions. According to the figures:

• 2019: 2,379 days (~6.5 years)
• 2020: 1,876 days
• 2021: 2,666 days
• 2022: 3,079 days (~8.4 years)
• 2023: 2,274 days
• 2024: 2,572 days

These averages suggest that thousands of asylum seekers remain in limbo for years, with many potentially left without legal status, work rights, or access to services, a bureaucratic purgatory that undermines both state credibility and migrant dignity.

Acceptance Rare, Appeals the Norm

From 2020 to 2024, only 933 asylum applications were approved, a mere 17% of the 5,516 rejections issued in the same period. This low recognition rate stands out globally, especially when compared to other nations grappling with similar migratory flows.

Meanwhile, 8,884 appeals were lodged over the same timeframe, and the Refugee Appeals Authority managed to finalise 14,400 appeals. However, the department failed to disclose the breakdown between appeals upheld and dismissed, leaving a critical gap in transparency.

The figures for 2024 are particularly telling: only 19 approvals were granted versus 1,704 rejections, suggesting either an extremely narrow definition of refugee status or systemic flaws in adjudication.

A System Under Pressure

The data points to an asylum system overwhelmed by volume, hampered by inefficiencies, and possibly losing sight of its core humanitarian mandate. With decisions taking several years and appeals saturating the system, critics are likely to ask whether South Africa is meeting its obligations under international refugee law.

Minister Schreiber, who assumed office with promises to reform Home Affairs, now faces mounting pressure to unclog processing pipelines, bolster institutional capacity, and inject both fairness and speed into decision-making.

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Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Schreiber emphasised the extent to which corruption has infiltrated public institutions, exacerbated by the legacy of state capture. He warned that South Africa is at risk of becoming a ‘syndicate society’ where criminal networks dictate access to services instead of the democratic state. The border management and immigration sectors, he noted, have not been spared, with syndicates operating within Home Affairs to defraud both South Africans and immigrants.

The Minister stressed that fighting corruption requires more than just treating its symptoms. Instead, efforts must focus on enforcing accountability and simultaneously reforming the system to eliminate loopholes that criminals exploit. The government is making significant progress on both fronts.

Between July 2024 and February 2025, 27 officials from the Department of Home Affairs were dismissed for offences including fraud, corruption, and misconduct. Since November 2024 alone, nine additional dismissals have taken place, with more expected once ongoing appeals are concluded. Furthermore, eight officials have already been convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to 18 years, while 19 others face ongoing criminal prosecution.

Schreiber cited a high-profile case in which Pakistani national Afran Ahmed was sentenced to 18 years in prison for selling South African passports to foreign nationals for R45,000 each. At the Border Management Authority (BMA), 10 officials have been dismissed for corruption, while an additional 45 cases are under investigation.

One of the key achievements in the anti-corruption drive is a major legal breakthrough in the Labour Court, which now allows external chairpersons to oversee disciplinary hearings. This precedent, which changes the interpretation of collective agreements in place since 2001, will enable more impartial disciplinary processes across government and prevent corrupt officials from protecting one another.

The Minister also highlighted decisive action against high-profile figures implicated in state capture. Shortly after assuming office, he initiated a process under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act that led to the revocation of South African citizenship for a senior member of the Gupta family. Additional measures are underway to ensure justice is served for the way Home Affairs was exploited during state capture.

Beyond accountability, the government is implementing systemic reforms aimed at closing the space for discretion that enables fraud and corruption. Digital transformation is at the heart of this initiative. Paper-based visa documents are being replaced with an Electronic Travel Authorisation system that utilises artificial intelligence and machine learning for adjudication. Secure digital documents, including a digital ID system announced in the State of the Nation Address, will phase out the outdated green ID book. Automated entry and exit systems will also be introduced at ports of entry, with all airports prioritised before expanding to land and sea borders.

The Minister underscored that these digital reforms would make corruption more difficult by eliminating paper documents that can be lost or manipulated and reducing human discretion that allows for bribery and fraud.

Schreiber concluded by asserting that the fight against corruption is not merely a policy goal but a national imperative. He described the work being done as the most comprehensive corruption clean-up in South African history.

“This is not a talk shop or a promise of what will be done,” he stated. “It is a stocktaking of what is already being achieved. Corrupt officials are being disciplined and fired, prosecutions are underway, and systemic changes are being implemented to rid our institutions of the syndicates that seek to hold us hostage. This fight is a beacon of hope, demonstrating that corruption can be defeated, accountability can be enforced, and digital transformation can roll back state capture and syndicate control once and for all.”

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The Minister revealed the shortfall in a reply to a question posed by Mr Adriaan Roos, Member of Parliament for the Democratic Alliance (DA). Minister Schreiber noted the shortfall was the result of the BMA not having received the full requested funding from National Treasury. “Secondly, the transferring Departments transferred an accurate budget for Compensation of Employees (CoE) and did not transfer the full budget for goods and services.”

The breakdown for the budget shortfall is as follows:

The Minister additionally revealed the areas affected by the underfunding cuts are Human Resources, Information Communications Technology (ICT) and tools of trade.

The total approved structure for the BMA is 11 115 personnel, however as of 30 June 2024, 2 566 positions were filled, leaving the number of vacant positions at 8 549. Within the medium-term period, the BMA is required to fill 3 207 positions to ensure alignment with the total approved organisational structure. According to the approved organisational structure, the area for urgent capacitation is the Ports of entry. This includes critical support positions, which the Minister noted are critical for governance purposes.

The Minister emphasised the growing importance played by technology in enhancing border security. “Statistics show that many countries are investing in technologies that aim to streamline and bring efficiency in the entry and exit processes whilst balancing that with national security,” stated the Minister’s reply.

Crucial technologies which could serve as force multipliers for border security include satellite surveillance systems, and drones, which can detect migrants attempting to illegally cross borders. These investments are an indication that countries acknowledge that technology lies at the centre of resolving border control challenges.

The Minister acknowledged that the BMA aims to align with this global direction and understands it must invest into technology to enable it to successfully execute its mandate. Technology can further assist in automating processes and increase efficiencies within the Ports of Entry. “It is eminent that the main deterrent in the investment on ICT infrastructure/ technologies for BMA is current funding constraints,” stated the Minister, adding there “is therefore a critical need for the BMA to invest in ICT infrastructure to enable efficient delivery on its mandate.”

To augment the BMA’s current financial constraints, the Minister revealed the BMA has applied for Criminal Assets Recovery Account (CARA) funding from the Department of Constitutional Development to assist in the procurement of some critical tools of trade. An application requesting funding totalling R500 million was made, however only R150 million was approved.

“The requested funds were to be used for the procurement of Specialised Capital equipment,” said the Minister, adding these technologies would allow operational staff to adequately render their mandate, “which includes facilitating the movement of people and goods, effectively intercept the illicit flow of goods and illegal movement of people through our ports and vulnerable segments of the borderlines.”

These tools of trade include but are not limited to; patrol vehicles, firearms and ammunition, communication devices, body-worn cameras, surveillance equipment, forensic technology, motion sensors, drive-through vehicle/truck scanner, etc.

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Reflecting on case studies and recent discoveries made by the department, Schreiber pointed to “the lack of a modern digital system to process all applications, adjudications and communication at Home Affairs [as] the root cause of the national security threat we face in this sector.”

Schreiber went on to say that “the common denominator is that Home Affairs systems are vulnerable to fraud, corruption and discretion because they are outdated, antiquated, paper-based, manual and, therefore, open to subversion.”

Speaking on his department’s recent deportation of Libyan nationals, who were in South Africa on tourist visas, Schreiber revealed they obtained visas that were written by hand.

“How can South Africa regard ourselves as a serious nation when we still allow entrance into our country based on hand-written documents that even a child could forge?”

Among other irregularities discovered were visa applications which were processed even though they did not contain all the requisite documentation. Further, several applications were approved without verifying the information contained in the applications. Schreiber disclosed that overseas, Home Affairs is reliant on officials from another government department to process applications at foreign missions.

Commenting on the dire state of the department’s processes, Schreiber said “it would frankly be a dereliction of duty on the part of everyone in this room if we do not move with urgency to digitally transform Home Affairs. If we collectively fail to do so, the repercussions for national security will be on all of our hands.”

Schreiber stated that until Home Affairs transforms “into a digital-first department, these abuses will keep happening and the system will remain offline.”

“For as long as we fail to use technology to make up for the capacity shortfall and close the gaps for human discretion, it is not a question of ‘if’ abuses will be exposed,” said the Minister.

Calling for “bold steps,” Schreiber said if Home Affairs is not transformed into a digital-first department, “we will be wasting each other’s time for the next five years.”

The Minister emphasised that Home Affairs must be given the tools and support it requires, to not only address current concerns but to “start preventing fires into the future.” Schreiber went on to highlight “the sterling work being done” by the department in handling a backlog that accumulated for over a decade.

“This work is being done because we are focused on a clear goal, working collaboratively with partners in other departments and sectors of society, and embracing technology.

“The progress of the backlog project demonstrates that officials at Home Affairs are indeed capable of solving seemingly intractable problems if they are given the leadership, support and resources required.”

Schreiber implored members of Parliament to support his department, adding “South Africa can solve this problem, because we have done it before.” Referring to how the South African Revenue Service (SARS) embraced digital transformation, Schreiber noted SARS had become “one of the best state entities in the country,” and further, had become “one of the most effective tax authorities in the world.”

The department aims to introduce a digital platform to process all applications, adjudication and communication, similar to the systems at SARS, something which the Minister hopes “would not only restore our national security.”

Minister Schreiber noted South Africa is at a point where “we could decide to continue with things the way that they are, in which case we would doom South Africa’s national security and spend the next five years dealing with abuses but never preventing them. Or we could boldly go into the future by embracing digital transformation to decisively deal with fraud and corruption while fixing service delivery and creating jobs.”

Adding that “South Africa always defies expectations when we work together with one purpose,” Schreiber stated his department was determined to prove this once again.

The Minister closed his remarks by stating that the DHA now has a clear and unambiguous goal, “to rapidly transform this department into a digital-first organisation where fraud and corruption is not only combatted, but where it is prevented. This is how we will make Home Affairs work so that South Africa can work.”

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