Mariam’s story #OpenTheRRO

The closure of Cape Town’s Refugee Reception Office in 2012 has had a huge impact on asylum seekers in Cape Town.

Like Mariam, who comes from Somalia. Her mother was killed by Islamist militant group, Al-Shabab and she fled to Cape Town two years ago to join her sister who suffers from a mental illness. Every month Mariam must travel to Pretoria to renew her asylum seeker permit. She spends R2500 to travel every month. Money she simply cannot afford.

Sonke and civil society partners are calling on the Department of Home Affairs to #OpenTheRRO.

Read more here.