Harassment was not quantified but it was common to hear stories of xenophobic and afrophobic attitudes from arresting officers. Reports of verbal and physical abuse at the time of arrest were commonplace. In the Western Cape, detainees reported being harassed by the police about their nationality. “They will ask for money from everyone. If you don’t have money, or you only have a small amount, it will cost you. You will be inside for a long time, but the ones that can pay are let out... At one point I refused, saying no, and they beat me right there. I started bleeding. They told us to go back to Zimbabwe” v. Corruption “I paid a R500 fine to the police and they let me go, not very far from where they picked me up.” Corruption is one of the most difficult problems for the government to deal with. The people being arrested will do anything to not be arrested because, for many of them, their lives are in the hands of the arresting officers. In Limpopo10 people (40%) and in the Western Cape, 44 people (37%) said they had witnessed corruption at the time of arrest. While in Gauteng, 46 (95%) of respondents reported having witnessed corruption (see graph 4). In Gauteng, interviewees reported having to keep a hidden stash of money specifically for when the police came to harass them for bribes. Respondents also told of being arrested and detained until one could afford to pay a bribe. “I had to pay R200.00 to the police officer to let me go” Box #4 - ZDP applicant R2000 bribe for release The mother of a 2 year old baby was arrested in Gauteng for not having a permit or stamp in her passport. She had applied for a work permit through the ZDP and was still waiting for her permit. Her husband came to the police station to explain that she had lost her receipt but knew her reference number. He appealed to the officers to verify her details with DHA and let her go. An officer inside the police station told her that she could pay R2000 and be released. At this point they were in contact with our monitors who advised them not to pay the bribe, but rather wait for the DHA to intervene. The SAPS appeared to make no effort to contact the DHA. In the meantime the monitors took the woman’s information and contacted the ZDP office in Harrison St. and requested their intervention. After three days, the DHA were able to verify her documentation and convince the Police station to release her. 26