Asylum: First safe country principle

 http://www.pmg.org.za/node/29273

QUESTION 1182 / NW1317E

DATE OF PUBLICATION: Friday, 15 April 2011

INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 11 of 2011
Mrs A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Home Affairs:



(1)        With reference to her response to Question 22 for Oral Reply on 23 March 2011 regarding the implementation of the first safe country principle for asylum seekers, (a)(i) which stakeholders have been consulted and
(ii) when were they consulted and (b)(i) which stakeholders does she intend to consult and (ii) when does she intend to consult them;



(2)        (a) when will the implementation of the first safe country principle with respect to asylum seekers be placed on the agenda of SADC, and
(b) what are the further relevant details;



(3)        why she will not undertake to ensure that asylum seekers are not turned away from South Africa's borders based on the fact that this is not the first safe country they have reached;



(4)        whether an instruction has been issued to immigration officials to turn asylum seekers away from our borders based on the fact that this is not the first safe country they have reached; if so, (a) when was this instruction issued and (b) what are the details of the instruction;



(5)        whether her Department has developed a position paper or any other similar document with regard to the first safe country principle; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

NW1317E



REPLY:



(1)        Nothing has changed from what I said in my Oral Reply.