Africa: Refugee Camps Explained - Why South Africa Has Avoided Them

What the report says

AllAfrica, republishing analysis from The Conversation Africa, reported that South Africa began processing undocumented migrants in July 2026 at a temporary repatriation centre in Musina, near the Zimbabwe border. The move followed heightened anti-migrant rhetoric and xenophobic violence, and came after GroundUp reported that hundreds of immigrants transferred from Durban said they were sleeping outdoors while awaiting repatriation, with limited food, water, shelter and sanitation.

The analysis by Franzisca Zanker and Ulrike Krause said the Musina facility has prompted questions about whether South Africa could shift toward a camp-based model for migrants and refugees. Such a change would contrast with the country’s post-apartheid approach, which has generally allowed refugees and asylum seekers to live in cities, work and study rather than being confined to camps. The article said South Africa hosted more than 160,000 refugees and asylum seekers in 2025, including people from Zimbabwe, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.

The authors explained that refugee status is distinct from broader migration status and is protected under international and African legal frameworks. They also noted major pressures in South Africa’s asylum system, including repeated permit renewals, high first-stage rejection rates, long appeals, and a reduced Refugee Appeals Authority panel in 2026. Recent Constitutional Court rulings have also shaped when rejected applicants may reapply and whether procedural failures can bar access to asylum.

The analysis stressed that Musina is not a UNHCR-run refugee camp and that there is no indication it is meant to become one. It also said South Africa’s 2026 revised white paper contains no plan for refugee camps, while noting that camps elsewhere often restrict movement and create long-term rights and welfare concerns.