awaiting an outcome on their applications. 38% of these have been waiting up to 2 years, and another 33% have been waiting two years or more.101 Out of approximately 3,000 ASP holders of Zimbabwean nationality who have applied since June 2002, approximately 30 have been granted asylum102; even in the context of the delays experienced by other asylum seekers, this suggests an abnormally slow process: 1% of asylum claims from Zimbabweans have been positively finalised in the last 2 and a half years!103 This would suggest that Zimbabwean applications are being kept on the bottom of the pile. Lack of capacity in RROs In an interview in October 2003, the Head of Immigration of the Braamfontein office indicated that he was dramatically under-staffed. There were only 4 members of staff in his office qualified to finalise asylum applications and grant or deny asylum. This included himself, and he had many other duties as Head of Immigration. He stated that his aim was to increase finalisations of applications to 8 per qualified staff member per week. This would mean the Braamfontein office could hopefully in the future finalise 32 applications per week. However, with a backlog in South Africa of around 80,000 asylum seeker cases in total, for the largest office in the country to finalise less than 2,000 cases per year would do little to clear the backlog. In October 2003, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, then Minister of Home Affairs, stated that there were 1,500 vacancies in his ministry, and no money in the treasury to finance these jobs. In such a situation there is clearly insufficient capacity to deal with the workload, and this creates a situation that is then wide open to corruption and bribes.104 In October 2004, Barry Gilder, Director General of Home Affairs, indicated to the authors that since he came into office a year ago, he has organised the training of a large group of officers who will be capable of processing and finalising asylum claims. He said that before the end of 2004, an additional staff of 69 refugee determination officers will be deployed in RROs. In Gilder’s own words: This department is way back in the 19th century somewhere…turning it around, it’s a bit like trying to turn around the Titanic, perhaps after it’s hit the iceberg.105 Gilder is planning to introduce more personnel with better training, and better information technology to improve the department, but says this will take time. In the meantime, we would point out that it is the refugees who have to deal with the fact that there are not enough lifeboats, that only those who can bribe will get a life jacket, and the rest will sink without trace in the hostile waters of Johannesburg. 101 CASE, op cit, pages 92 ff. Gilder was unable to provide exact figures for either group. 103 As the figures for Zimbabweans with ASPs was 2,000 at the end of last year, at least this number have now been waiting up to two years, with the balance waiting up to a year. No figures on numbers of asylum claims rejected have ever been indicated; Gilder did not have the figures to hand. 104 The Cape Times, Illegal immigrants are a perpetual problem compounded by corruption, says Buthelezi, 14 October 2003. 105 Interview, 18 October 2004. 102 46