2023
South Africa is home to 250,250 forcibly displaced people, of which 75,033 are recognized refugees and 165,115 are asylum seekers. Refugees and asylum seekers come from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Somalia, and Zimbabwe. South Africa is a primary destination for forcibly displaced people from both inside and outside the region as they flee conflict, persecution, and recurring natural disasters.
Access to rights such as status, documentation, education, healthcare, and livelihoods remain out of reach for the majority of asylum seekers and migrant populations in South Africa. There are growing social inequalities, high rates of gender-based violence, and consistent exposure to xenophobic violence. Critical gaps exist in services for gender-based violence and mental health, as well as protection mechanisms for particularly vulnerable populations, including LGBTQ+ individuals. There continues to be a large backlog of pending cases for asylum seekers.
