Refugee Policy as Infrastructure: The Gulf Between Policy Intent and Implementation for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in South Africa

Abstract

This chapter engages the policy practices of the South African state in handling refugees and asylum seekers. The primary focus is on the articulation of migration policy concerning refugees and asylum seekers into physical infrastructure and the lived experiences of refugees in the urban context of Johannesburg. The research considers the decisionmaking timeline involved in developing the policy landscape and resulting migration infrastructure (or lack thereof) for refugees and asylum seekers. We explore policy as hard and soft infrastructure and note that, the refugee and asylum seeker policies in South Africa have at times been shaped to align to migration patterns retrospectively but in recent years - have taken a more restrictive position towards mobility more generally. In engaging these issues, the research draws on the existing literature and insights from key informant interviews with representatives of refugee protection NGOs, the City of Johannesburg migration unit and academic researchers.