It is interesting to note that the least likely obstacle to health care was lack of money, and by far the most likely was to be turned away from a health institution. It is also interesting to note that it is not usually the health staff that turned people away – although 5 people reported nurses turning them away - it was far more likely to be the receptionist who turned people away, on a technicality. This survey, together with anecdotal evidence, indicates that Zimbabweans are almost as likely not to get health care as they are to get it. This finding is cause for concern, particularly considering that among those refused access to health car, were torture victims with related injuries. The CASE survey of 2003 found a similar pattern: lack of access to health care affects all foreigners.154 They report that 17% of asylum seekers failed to access emergency medical care. They further report that it is usually administrative staff who turned foreigners away. 91% of respondents in their study were able to access primary health care, as opposed to emergency medical care. This is higher than our small sample found, but apart from this, the findings of the CASE survey is in accordance with our findings. 5. Deportation Around 45,000 Zimbabweans are deported from South Africa each year now, more than the total deported between 1994 and 2000 put together. The most common route to deportation is via Lindela, a detention centre in Krugersdorp near Johannesburg. People without documents picked up off the streets by police anywhere in South Africa are transported to this centre, and once every few weeks they are deported, in the case of Zimbabweans, via train. The cost to South Africa of each deportation is in the region of R16,000. 155 This means deporting Zimbabweans may cost South Africa around R720,000,000 per year. Considering the fact that many, or even most, Zimbabwean deportees are back in South Africa within hours or days of deportation, this seems like an enormous tax burden for very little benefit. While South Africa has the same right as any other nation to protect its borders from a huge influx of undocumented migrants, the current strategy does not appear to be achieving this, and at the same time, it is very expensive. Asylum seekers According to the Regulations to the Refugee Act, an asylum seeker must at all times be in possession of their original permit as proof of their legal status should such proof be required. An asylum seeker in possession of a valid ASP may not be deported, or detained for deportation.156 The Regulations further make it clear that: • if a person is detained by police as an alien, they have the right to indicate their intention to apply for asylum if they have not already done so and are not already in possession of an ASP. 154 Op cit, pages 142 ff. The Mail and Guardian, The Unstoppable Tide, 3 October 2003. 156 Regulations, ibid, schedule 7 (2). 155 67