Refugees Struggle With Application Renewal On Digital Systems

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A digital divide troubles refugees tor remains documented in South Africa, a report has recently confirmed. Apparently, there is a new online system meant to help register and apply for renewals. But the system is working against the refugees and asylum seekers.

They feel the system runs the risk of deportation and harassment. It’s a known fact that undocumented refugees have a tough time of basic rights guaranteed under the labor law. Currently, the government faces a backlog of refugee applications in South Africa. Many refugees struggle to use new online permit renewal system. Undocumented refugees lose access to bank accounts, their children and extended family have issues completing their education too.

Suddenly, you become undocumented and that creates a sense of shame too. The new online system that went live in April 2021 was supposed to be a lifeline for refugees and asylum seekers who had not been able to renew their permits since refugee reception centres closed in 2020 during the national COVID-19 shutdown. But this has not happened. In fact, there are many applicants who are still waiting to hear about the status of their applications too.

A December 2021 deadline for permit renewals has been missed by many refugees who either couldn’t navigate the system or didn’t hear back on their application status. Only half of African countries teach computer skills at school, compared with 85% of schools globally, according to the World Bank.

Internet connectivity is another challenge, with figures from the International Finance Corporation showing less than a quarter of Africans have online access - in Europe, the figure is 80%. Data access and internet does not come easily to refuges. In late February, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) announced in a government gazette that a new deadline would come into effect, giving applicants until the end of April 2022 to renew their permits.

Even if this has happened, there is no guarantee these refugee applicants can deal with the digital divide they are having to face.

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