People on the Move: Priorities, Connection, and Recourse – GRF Pledge Event

The recent “People on the Move” conference, hosted by CORMSA, that took place from 30-31 October 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa highlighted a stark reality that the systemic failure to uphold the rights of asylum seekers and refugees in South Africa.

Key issues demand urgent legal and advocacy attention:
– Statelessness & Bureaucracy: Asylum seekers are given 30 days to register a child’s birth, yet Home Affairs often denies this by demanding documents from parents without status themselves.
– Legal Limbo: Sections 23 & 24 permits, designed for protection, are plagued by poor implementation, leaving people in prolonged uncertainty.
– Governance Gap: Frontline officials often misapply or misunderstand the law, creating a chasm between constitutional promises, like dignity and equality, and lived experience.