People’s Post, Cape Town
Tuesday 26 January 2010
‘They treat us like animals’
Teresa Fischer
RANDOM beatings, corruption and inhuman treatment of Zimbabweans are alleged to take place at the Refugee Centre in Maitland.
Authorities say they have not noticed anything amiss, but stories of baton-happy security guards who want little more than a quick buck are rife.
The matter was brought to People’s Post’s attention when Magda Schoeman took her domestic worker to the Voortrekker Road centre at 04:30 in the morning on Thursday 14 January. Schoeman describes what she saw as “inhuman”.
“I have never seen something like it in my life. If the people move wrongly, or say something, they are hit with a baton.”
When People’s Post visited the centre on Thursday 21 January, a Zimbabwean man described how he had been hit twice with a baton the week before.
“There were three men. Two had batons, and one took off his belt. I was hit on the stomach and then the back and fell down. That’s when I hurt my foot.” His foot became infected, and was still in bandages on Thursday.
The man, who was afraid to be named, said there was a “syndicate” of guards who took bribes starting at R50 to jump the queue. If R300 is paid, the man alleged, the guards “sort everything” out. He knows this, he said, because he himself has “paid the money”. Bribes are handed over in portable toilets, he said.
When People’s Post tried to enter the centre last Thursday, security guards would not allow this reporter into the hall where people were queuing. A guard prohibited People’s Post from taking photographs, and insisted this reporter wait outside the gate for an official to arrive.
He denied anything was being hidden, and said the newspaper was welcome to visit at any time, provided it made an appointment with the centre manager, Richard Sikakane.
Shortly after this, an official allowed People’s Post access to the centre.
Someone waiting in line said it was true that people had been beaten. “Just go look in there and see how they hit us,” he said. Security again intervened and asked that the newspaper wait for Sikakane.
People’s Post then spoke to Bruce, who asked that his full name be withheld. “I overheard you must pay R50, but I didn’t have it and couldn’t get into the queue,” he said. The guards “hit everywhere”, and have “beaten lots of people”, he said.
Another man, Simba, was at the refugee centre on Friday 15 January. “The men were standing in the queue, not causing any harm,” Simba said, “but when the queue bent a bit at the end, a security guard took off his belt and started beating the people.” Simba said he asked the guard why he was beating people. “He shouted and said he would stab me, he would kill me – that I was talking nonsense.”
A Zimbabwean man, also afraid to be named, phoned People Against Suffering, Suppression, Oppression and Poverty (Passop) in desperation, as he stands to lose his job if his permit is not renewed. He alleges people give guards money in the car park for a place in the queue. “I went today at 05:30, but didn’t get a place in the queue.”
He refuses to pay a bribe, he says. “They treat us like animals, lifting their batons and harassing us.”
Centre manager Sikakane claims he was not aware of the allegations of abuse. He admits abuse happened when the centre was in Nyanga, but he says there is “transparency” at the new premises.
Sikakane says he monitors the situation by walking around the premises, but has “never seen anybody carrying a baton” – despite the fact that this reporter saw guards with batons. Asked how he could not have noticed the guards’ batons, he replied, “Issues of security are not directly determined by this office, but the departmental security unit in Barrack Street.”
Fidelity Security holds the contract for security at the centre, and is assisted by crowd control marshals.
Home Affairs officials report for duty at 07:30, leaving applicants alone with security guards from 04:00, when the centre’s gates open, until they arrive, but assaults allegedly happen throughout the morning.
Fidelity Security spokesperson Hennie Myburgh says he was not aware of the complaints, as nobody had lodged an official complaint, but he says the company will put a plan into action to investigate and punish any possible culprits.
Myburgh says people need to come forward with information; he promises that informants will be treated confidentially.
Fidelity’s regional manager, Fred Louw, can be contacted on (021) 692-1273.
Asked about the allegations of bribery, Sikakane said, “If this is true, it is unacceptable. Corruption is a serious offence, and will never be tolerated.”
Only one case of corruption has been reported to the police. Inspector Siyabulela Vukubi, Maitland police spokesperson, says a Home Affairs official opened a case of attempted bribery against a Somalian man who tried to bribe him at the centre on Wednesday 20 January.
Braam Hanekom, chairperson of Passop, is familiar with the centre. “We believe that despite increased efforts the department has made to rectify the situation, corruption is still rife,” he says. “The huge backlogs, combined with the limited personnel and resources at the centre, have led to immense pressure, which in turn essentially opens the gates for corruption.”
Last year, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Minister of Home Affairs, said the department would address the issue of immigrants applying for asylum, but there is no clarity as to when this will happen. She reported that in 2008, 100 000 people sought asylum, but only 10 000 qualified.
Hanekom says the minister promised an exemption for Zimbabweans. The proposed document would greatly reduce queues at all the department’s refugee centres.
“This may ultimately enable an environment in which corruption can be more easily reduced,” he says.
People’s Post sent a query to the Department of Home Affairs for comment on the allegations surrounding the Maitland Centre. No reply has yet been received.
ACCUSED: Allegations of corruption and assault have been levelled against the Refugee Centre in Maitland.