South Africa's top court bars repeat asylum applications
South Africa's Constitutional Court upheld a regulation that bars asylum seekers from filing repeat applications after rejection. The ruling is expected to reduce a years-long case backlog, while human rights groups urged additional safeguards.
South Africa's Constitutional Court has upheld a regulation barring asylum seekers from filing repeat applications after rejection. The court agreed with the government that recurring filings strain resources and prevent the asylum system from functioning effectively.
The Home Affairs ministry said the ruling will help cut a backlog of more than 700,000 pending applications. Officials added that genuine cases will be prioritised and that a digital tracking system for the process will be completed by year-end.
Human rights groups voiced concern about implementation without renewed judicial oversight. The UN refugee agency UNHCR underlined the importance of additional safeguards, while expanded voluntary return programmes are also on the government's agenda.
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