Human Rights Watch learned in interviews that the police permit undocumented migrants awaiting deportation the right to access their bank savings, even though migrants are not necessarily informed that they have this opportunity. A Zimbabwean man awaiting deportation at Musina police station asked Human Rights Watch how he could access his savings in a bank account. He said that he had a job in a shop in Roodepoort on the West Rand, had been arrested there and deported, had almost immediately re-entered South Africa illegally only to be arrested in Polokwane en route to Roodepoort, and eventually taken to Musina police station. He had R500 (US$71) in a Standard Bank account. “Now I can’t access it,” he said.123 Human Rights Watch referred his case to a police officer, who said, “We allow them to go to the ATM with an escort.”124 However, this man had not been informed that he had the right to retrieve his bank savings. Most foreign migrants, documented and undocumented, are unable to open bank accounts. A Foreign Migration Studies Programme publication noted: Although current banking legislation technically prevents anyone except permanent residents and citizens from opening bank accounts, this policy may be waived on a discretionary level as often done with people in the country on temporary contracts. Under pressure from lobbying groups, some banks have now begun extending services to refugees, but are still unwilling to open accounts for most other African immigrants who are unlikely to have the requisite thirteen digit ID number, foreign passport, or a formal employment contract.125 Some foreign migrants are able to open bank accounts by fraudulently obtaining South African ID documents.126 A 21-year-old from Zaka district, Masvingo in Zimbabwe spoke to Human Rights Watch from the police “cell” at Musina police station. He had been arrested in Johannesburg the previous day, and was only to be paid for his first month of work at the end of the month. “I worked for two weeks. It was very unfortunate when I was on 123 Human Rights Watch interview with an undocumented Zimbabwean awaiting deportation, Musina police station, Musina, April 28, 2006. 124 Human Rights Watch interview with a white police official, Musina police station, Musina, April 28, 2006. 125 Landau, Ramjathan-Keogh, and Singh, “Xenophobia in South Africa and Problems Related To It,” p. 23. 126 Human Rights Watch interview with Echo 4 leader of a military border patrol unit, Limpopo border, April 27, 2006. The military official related how a Zimbabwean whom he had arrested had requested that he be taken to the bank to draw his money before being deported. Asked how the Zimbabwean was able to get a bank account, the military official replied that foreign migrants can use fraudulent South African IDs to open bank accounts. HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH VOLUME 18, NO. 6(A) 34