Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Holders

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The Scalabrini Centre is gathering Zimbabwe Exemption Permit information to assist in our advocacy work seeking documentation solutions.

If you are a ZEP holder, please answer some questions using the button below. Personal information shared is protected in terms of the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act 4 of 2013 and identifiable information Will NOT be shared with out your express and informed consent.

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International Education Day

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Today marks International Education Day

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Education is key, education uplifts and builds individuals and society.  We need to educate ourselves and others and see the humanity and dignity of all. Everyone in South Africa whatever their nationality, age gender or belief has the right to dignity and is equal before the law. The Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town calls for greater Education on the need for Solidarity and Compassion toward our fellow person particularly in light of the recent spate of Xenophobic Rhetoric and Incidents in Gauteng. We can and must do better and learn from one another seeing the blessing and value of embracing diversity rather than pursing a divisive and destructive agenda. Let’s do better. I stand, we stand, with migrant workers and with migrants residing in South Africa being evicted from their homes or place of work and I ask, we ask, that we all do the same. The violence and discrimination have to stop and we must turn our focus to collectively challenging and changing our future.

Education is also a right for all. A right that extends to documented and undocumented children alike. We have come across children both migrant and South African denied access to schools based on their or their parent’s documentation. The Constitution is Clear, the Rights of the Child are paramount. The 2019 Centre for Child Law case and pursuant circular make it clear that children cannot be denied access to schools. As the school year begins let us educate and appraise ourselves of the right to education for all children in South Africa and ensure that no child is turned away.

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Mapping of mental health and psychosocial services for children (including children on the move) in the Western Cape

This document has been compiled by the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town in order to map various services available to children, including children on the move, in respect of mental health and psychosocial support. The document has adopted a wide interpretation of mental health and psychosocial support services so that it includes more conventional mental health programmes and support, such as the SA depression and anxiety group, as well as other wellbeing personal development-related programmes.

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“If I can just fix this …this small, small thing…then it can be better” Documentation, systemic violence and telling stories in South Africa

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Written by Rebecca Walker

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Between 2017-2019, myself and a colleague worked with a small group of women from across the African continent, now living in Johannesburg on an arts-based project entitled Mwangaza Mama.i Each Friday the group would meet to share breakfast, tell stories and work on quilt pieces that we were creating together. During these meetings the women would often talk about the everyday challenges of life in South Africa; of finding work, paying rent, covering school fees, accessing healthcare and staying safe in spaces of high criminality and violence. These are challenges that are faced by so many across South Africa citizens and non-citizens, in a country shaped by stark inequality and escalating levels of unemployment and poverty. Yet for non-national migrant women, especially those without the correct documentation these challenges are even more stark and further compounded by xenophobia and discrimination. 

Inequalities – and the forms of violence connected to them – are intersectional. They result in an interplay between multiple power structures that produce and reproduce hierarchical distinctions, including race, gender, dis(abilities) and in this context, nationality and citizenship. This means that while all women face discrimination and violence based on gender, some women experience multiple forms of discrimination, although this is often entrenched to the point of invisibility. For the women in the group their status as poor, black, non-national and undocumented (with only one of the women holding refugee status) renders them not only marginalised, but facing multiple forms of violence on a daily basis. As much as they sought to make ends meet and to create stable lives in South Africa these high levels of violence continue to knock them back time and time again.  

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Referring to a particularly insidious form of violence the women often talked about the challenges of trying and failing to access documentation at Home Affairs. For them, documentation –and the lack of it – impacted everything from opening a file at the clinic, to securing employment, paying a deposit on a room to rent and, critically protecting them from the constant threat of detention and deportation. They spoke of the long hours and days spent in queues at Home Affairs before returning home unsuccessful. They spoke of the rudeness and corruption of security guards and officials managing the queues and the disregard, the distain and the discrimination directed at them. They spoke of the humiliation they felt. They spoke as smart, skilled, savvy women who had endured and survived much and were then forced into states of helplessness. They spoke as resourceful, determined mothers battling to provide for their families yet unable to hide their desperation and pain inflicted on them from their young children. They spoke as strong women with rich, often traumatic pasts and stories that transcended simple victimhood or resilience; stories that needed to be told, shared and listened to. Stories that were being ignored or at worse, invalidated by the very people upon whom their right to exist in the country depended.  

The significance of documents was captured in one of the stories shared by Michelle, a mother of four from the DRC. One week, Michelle told us how she had been mugged. She had been on her way to pay for a space to work in a hair salon with some money that she had been gifted to help her start earning an income for herself and children. As she was walking a group of men stopped their car, kicked her to the ground and drove off with her bag containing the start-up money, her phone and her asylum papers. In retelling this traumatic experience to the group Michelle had described her shock at the attack but most of all the panic at having lost her asylum papers. She explained,  

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“even though I couldn’t walk and everything was hurting, the next day I went back there to the place it happened. I checked for my bag in the bins and all over. I didn’t find it but I found my papers (asylum papers)…that was so lucky. If I lost those papers…” 

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Those papers – their physical presence – and their loss – represent so much. Michelle had been badly beaten, then refused help by the clinic where she sought treatment (because she was not South African) and turned away by the police when she went to report the crime. However, for her these experiences were less important than the loss of her papers. The bruises and memories of the violent attack would reduce, but the loss of her papers would have taken away a last piece of hope.  

For Michelle those papers are her way of affirming her rights in the city, a form of communication and a response to the everyday violence she and so many other migrant women endure. Within those crumpled white sheets and the few lines of black ink exists an important story  –  Michelle’s story – of how she came to be here, who she is, how she is and where she wants to go.  

Having the right papers and documentation does not solve everything; it cannot ensure you find a job, can rent a room or that you will be able to access healthcare. It doesn’t topple the intersecting and compounding layers of violence and vulnerability – nor take away previous traumas suffered and current experiences of loss. But it can offer a little sense of security, of legitimacy, of rights – and some confidence to exist in the spaces you occupy. Sometimes surviving the city, making every day work and being able to come up for air can depend on that. As another one of the women in the group once told us, when waving her asylum paper in front of me “If I can just fix this …this small, small thing…then it can be better.” 

It is these experiences and stories and so many others shared by Michelle and the women in Mwangaza Mamas that should force us to move beyond simplistic notions of victimhood and vulnerability, and instead better understand the systemic violence that perpetuates oppression and enforces lives of marginalisation and exclusion. For the Mwangaza Mamas, as women, as migrants, as non-nationals and as mothers – it was important that they not only tell their own stories but that the richness, diversity, contradictions and complications of the narratives they told defied the simple interpretations that are often sought after by those looking to understand and/or assist.  

In this way the role of spaces and methods that might allow for the sharing of layered stories and for engagement with pasts, presents and futures can be recognised. Such spaces can be about telling and sharing stories through art, through words, through silences, through actions and, through absences. Critically, these must be spaces set out, shaped and directed by those who do the telling. They must be their spaces, their agenda, and their processes – enabling what Chinua Achebe (2013) calls “a balance of stories”. For Achebe, a balance of stories is “…where every people will be able to contribute to a definition of themselves, where we are not victims of other people’s accounts” (Achebe, 2013, p. 2). In this way, participatory arts-based methods like those used within the Mwangaza Mama project and currently at the Scalabrini Centre, can allow us to see the intersecting social, political, and economic issues that shape and influence everyday life and work with and respond to the need for visibility AND invisibility and the need to speak out AND to remain silent.  

Like documents, these spaces are not the only answers. They do not fix the systemic brutalities and violence of everyday life endured by migrant women across South Africa. They can’t easily offer safety, security or stable futures. But they can at least offer moments of engagement, friendships and solace as well as an understanding of how and why basic rights, including to documentation matter and why they should be at the centre of responses to migration, to gender and to gender-based violence in South Africa.  

I) The study involved partnership with the African Centre for Migration & Society (ACMS), an interdisciplinary research centre at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), and the Sophiatown Community Psychological Services (SCPS), a local non-profit that offers various types of assistance to people living in and around the greater Johannesburg area. 

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Working towards a trauma-informed society : Reflections from Mike Abrams

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“You need to understand trauma to be sensitive to it and then start looking at all your systems,” explains Mike Abrams, a facilitator from Hands On, who is running trauma-informed approach workshops with the Scalabrini Centre. These workshops have been exploring the impact of historical, collective and inter-generational trauma on collectives and organisations.  

Through the workshops, Scalabrini is working to equip a group of people within the organisation – staff and peer facilitators – to understand what creates the intergenerational and historical trauma and look at how we can make the centre a more welcoming space – a space “which allows people to thrive and grow despite the pain and difficulty.”  

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A violent past and present

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South Africa has a long history with violence; from the colonialists to the apartheid regime, to our present day. “From time to time, the country is reminded that its past continues to make its present and future difficult”. One of these reminders was the recent looting in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng.  

Sexual and gender-based violence has been described as the second pandemic by Cyril Ramaphosa, with cases of rape increasing by 72.4% compared to the last reporting period. Xenophobia is a hot topic in South Africa too. 

“When we talk about SGBV and xenophobia, we talk about different kinds of violence, we almost keep them separate. We silo them,” Mike explains. “Violence is the same, whether it is xenophobic, criminal or domestic. The perpetrators are generally men who have grown up in a system with toxic masculinity.”  

One of the focuses of the trauma-informed workshops is inter-generational trauma. “It can be argued that inter-generational trauma breaks down the thinking and caring networks of a society.” These thinking and caring networks have been broken down over generations in South Africa – “we resolve this by turning inwards and on others that we love or externalise it through violence on others. As our networks break down, we normalise the use of violence in the absence of caring.”  

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“The second pandemic”

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When it comes to SGBV, we speak of “monster men”. “A person with a violent masculine identity is created. It is nurtured by systems of toxic masculinity and it’s generational.”  

It goes back to historical and inter-generational trauma. “Rape culture goes back to the early enslaved people. The root of the problem goes as far back as that.” It is systemic.  

So, what can be done?  

The focus is predominantly on the victim of SGBV. “It is unquestionable that we need to support women, but we also need to work with men and the system that creates violent masculinities as a norm.” From the work that Mike does, he has seen that we are not properly dealing with what men are facing.   

“A key driver is what we call ‘father hunger’, the hunger for a father who is absent. The emotional hollowness that occurs for cis-gender men is very difficult for them. It’s about ‘what I lost because I never had a father’.” Mike has seen men from many different life circumstances become vulnerable when asked to read out a letter to their father. “It is a common experience in South Africa.” 

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Looking ahead

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Many organisations across South Africa are dedicating their work to ending the violence, but “we can’t start with the problem.” We need to ask questions like; why are these men doing it? and what is going on with them? “Trauma is a subjective experience of violence, threat, loss, exclusion and powerlessness that results in a negative change in how we view ourselves, our relationship to others and our place in the world.” Quote from R-Cubed 

We need to start with where men are at if we want to unblock any form of violence.  

Once we understand collective, inter-generational and historical trauma, we can start working on self-regulation and moving forward with life despite what has happened to you. “To see change requires a disruption of this cycle.”  

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A world in motion : Kari

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Welcome to our A World In Motion series. The last two years have been a time when many people confronted the significance of mobility and borders – in our own personal lives and the lives of others. With much talk of people arriving in South Africa, it is also important to acknowledge that many South Africans move to other countries too. Our world is one that is in motion.

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We speak to Kari Olsen, who moved from Cape Town to São Paulo, Brazil

Why did you decide to move to Brazil and what city do you live in?

I was living in Asia and met my husband, who is Brazilian. We then decided to move back to the city of São Paulo which is located in the São Paulo state.

What do you do there?

I am a Year 2 teacher and the head of digital learning at a British school. (St Paul’s)

Have you found it to be a welcoming country and city to live in? 

Brazilians in general are very welcoming but the language barrier served as a huge setback. Not many people speak English so simple things like getting a taxi or ordering food was quite a challenge. Often, they shy away from foreigners because they are scared of not being able to communicate so that can be hard too. Before joining my school, finding a job was challenging and made me feel quite excluded from the community as often businesses would not even reply to me post interview because of my lack of Portuguese.

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What are some things that you have done to help with your integration into the country that you are now living in? 

Learning the language was a huge turning point in my integration into the country and making friends. Team sports is another way however, sadly, the team sports they are most famous for (soccer and volleyball) did not form part of our school sports when I was at school. That said I have made some friends through work and horse riding.

Do you think it is important to make an effort to integrate into the new society you find yourself in? 

Most certainly, it is part of your duty as a foreign citizen to make an effort to get to know the local culture, what is considered acceptable and what is not as well as learning some of the basic language.

What do you miss about South Africa?

The food, the nature and of course my family and friends.

Do you see yourself moving back to South Africa in the future? 

I do not have any plans or see myself ever living in South Africa again. This is mainly due to the fact that my husband is Brazilian, and we have a good base here in São Paulo

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A world in motion : James

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Welcome to our A World In Motion series. The last two years have been a time when many people confronted the significance of mobility and borders – in our own personal lives and the lives of others. With much talk of people arriving in South Africa, it is also important to acknowledge that many South Africans move to other countries too. Our world is one that is in motion.

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We speak to James Connolly who moved from Cape Town to Maun, Botswana

Why did you decide to move to Botswana and what city/town do you live in?  

We chose to come to Botswana for its natural beauty and freedom of life style. We are based in Maun in the North West, next to the Okavango Delta. Maun has an amazing community spirit and is friendly and inclusive place to live. 

What do you do there? 

We have recently opened a cafe-bar in Maun. 

Have you found it to be a welcoming country and city to live in?  

Yes, Botswana is a very friendly country and Maun has been very welcoming to us. Coming into a close knit-community as an outsider can be daunting, but being a tourist town, Maun is socially open and friendly. Being out of the loop can make you feel unwelcome at times but once you get into the swing of things and get to know the community the place quickly becomes like home.   

 

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What are some things that you have done to help with your integration into the country that you are now living in?  

I joined the social rugby team, action cricket, and generally see people out and about in town. Opening a cafe has greatly increased my integration as I interact with the community daily. Interacting with different groups and ages is the best way to integrate into a place.   

Do you think it is important to make an effort to integrate into the new society you find yourself in?  

Yes. You never know when you will need help from your neighbour or a passing stranger. Also, to live a fulfilling life in a new place it is important to set yourself up with friends. Networking with a wide variety of people can unlock great opportunities for you.   

How is your life there different to your life in South Africa?  

There are more opportunities here and I have the ability to directly help and train many people. Also, the quality of life here is incredible and having the Delta on your doorstep is an unbelievable privilege.   

What do you miss about South Africa? 

Diversity of people and environments. It will always be home.  

Do you see yourself moving back to South Africa in the future?  

It is not off the cards but I am pretty settled here at the moment. I enjoy my lifestyle and the outdoor freedom here.   

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A world in motion : Wandile

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Welcome to our A World In Motion series. The last two years have been a time when many people confronted the significance of mobility and borders – in our own personal lives and the lives of others. With much talk of people arriving in South Africa, it is also important to acknowledge that many South Africans move to other countries too. Our world is one that is in motion.

We chat to Wandile, who moved from South Africa to Japan

 

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Why did you decide to move to Japan?  

Personally, I wanted to get out of the clique-ness of Cape Town. I felt that self-growth was difficult with so many social pressures. I found myself in a strange phase because I could fit into many social circles with ease, because of my extrovert personality. I could adapt to my surroundings like a chameleon; however, I didn’t know who I was. I felt unchallenged and wanted more out of life. So, I set out on a journey of self-discovery and growth.  

I chose Japan for various reasons. A) I was always fascinated by Japanese culture B) I wanted to leave my comfort zone. C) I wouldn’t know anyone and D) the language barrier. I couldn’t think of any other place to throw myself deep into the unknown, where I would sink or swim. 

What do you do there? 

I am an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher). I teach English in elementary and high schools. I’ll go out on a limb and say that 90% of foreigners in Japan are English teachers. 

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Do you think it is important to make an effort to integrate into the new society you find yourself in?  

I think it’s imperative to integrate yourself into a new society as quickly and efficiently as possible. Once you understand the heartbeat of a nation, you can start moving with its rhythm ensuring a peaceful transition and just a more enjoyable experience. 

How is your life there different from your life in South Africa?  

Firstly, I am a teacher, which is a whole new experience for me. Another surprising factor, that in Japan, teachers are regarded as high members of society and are seen as third parents to the upcoming generation. The profession is regarded as on the same level as doctors and scientists. So, I am well respected in my community and by my students. However, with great power comes great responsibility. ” Shout out to my boy, Uncle Ben for the wise words from Spiderman” The words are so true. I think twice now about my actions and what repercussions may follow. Pushed to grow up and mature unintentionally in ways I hadn’t even fathomed or anticipated. Back home I wouldn’t think twice or care about my actions.  

What do you miss about South Africa?  

I miss South Africa so much. It is and will always be home. It will always have my heart. I miss my family and friends the most. Having that confidence to do things, knowing that you have an army of support at your side, should things hit the fan. Being so far from home, you realise the true and meaningful relationships with friends that will last a lifetime. I miss the laid-back atmosphere of Cape Town in the festive season of the summer months. 

Do you see yourself moving back to South Africa in the future? 

No, I don’t see myself moving back to South Africa permanently. It will always be home and I will visit from time to time, but I don’t see myself as a permanent resident. I plan to marry and raise a family in the land of the rising sun. 

Japan has a very high work ethic in all the industries. You are expected to work hard and get the job done in the highest quality; from businessman, to retailer, to fast food server. All professions are done with pride resulting in a high standard of living, no crime and just a clean and peaceful environment. People are also well looked after by the government. By no means is Japan a perfect country. It has its own problems like everyone else, but what sticks out to me and what draws me to stay in this country is that people look out for their neighbours and care for other people above their own needs. 

I just don’t feel I could go back to a system that is self-destructive and not forward thinking. Once we stop thinking how we can benefit as individuals at the cost of others and actually help and rise together, then I think we could have a chance. 

 

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A world in motion series

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Welcome to our A World In Motion series. The last two years have been a time when many people confronted the significance of mobility and borders – in our own personal lives and the lives of others. With much talk of people arriving in South Africa, it is also important to acknowledge that many South Africans move to other countries too. Our world is one that is in motion.

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Siya is from Johannesburg and now lives in Bangkok

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Do you think it is important to make an effort to integrate into the new society you find yourself in?  

I think it's important to integrate yourself. because integration leads to the understanding of different cultures. learning the language and understanding people 

How is your life there different from your life in South Africa?  

Life here is at times a little easier. Transportation is so convenient and it is cheap to travel around the country. The cultural differences can, at times, make things challenging, but you learn to work around that.  

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Wanda is from Cape Town and now lives in Shikoku, Japan

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What do you miss about South Africa?  

I miss South Africa so much. It is and will always be home. It will always have my heart. I miss my family and friends the most. Having that confidence to do things, knowing that you have an army of support at your side, should things hit the fan. Being so far from home, you realise the true and meaningful relationships with friends that will last a lifetime. I miss the laid-back atmosphere of Cape Town in the festive season of the summer months. 

Do you see yourself moving back to South Africa in the future? 

No, I don’t see myself moving back to South Africa permanently. It will always be home and I will visit from time to time, but I don’t see myself as a permanent resident. I plan to marry and raise a family in the land of the rising sun. 

Japan has a very high work ethic in all the industries. You are expected to work hard and get the job done in the highest quality; from businessman, to retailer, to fast food server. All professions are done with pride resulting in a high standard of living, no crime and just a clean and peaceful environment. People are also well looked after by the government. By no means is Japan a perfect country. It has its own problems like everyone else, but what sticks out to me and what draws me to stay in this country is that people look out for their neighbours and care for other people above their own needs. 

I just don’t feel I could go back to a system that is self-destructive and not forward thinking. Once we stop thinking how we can benefit as individuals at the cost of others and actually help and rise together, then I think we could have a chance. 

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James is from Cape Town and lives in Maun, Botswana

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Do you think it is important to make an effort to integrate into the new society you find yourself in?  

Yes. You never know when you will need help from your neighbour or a passing stranger. Also, to live a fulfilling life in a new place it is important to set yourself up with friends. Networking with a wide variety of people can unlock great opportunities for you.   

How is your life there different to your life in South Africa?  

There are more opportunities here and I have the ability to directly help and train many people. Also, the quality of life here is incredible and having the Delta on your doorstep is an unbelievable privilege.  

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Kari is from Cape Town and lives in São Paulo, Brazil

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What are some things that you have done to help with your integration into the country that you are now living in?

Learning the language was a huge turning point in my integration into the country and making friends. Team sports is another way however, sadly, the team sports they are most famous for (soccer and volleyball) did not form part of our school sports when I was at school. That said I have made some friends through work and horse riding.

Do you think it is important to make an effort to integrate into the new society you find yourself in? 

Most certainly, it is part of your duty as a foreign citizen to make an effort to get to know the local culture, what is considered acceptable and what is not as well as learning some of the basic language.

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A world in motion : Siya

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Welcome to our A World In Motion series. The last two years have been a time when many people confronted the significance of mobility and borders – in our own personal lives and the lives of others. With much talk of people arriving in South Africa, it is also important to acknowledge that many South Africans move to other countries too. Our world is one that is in motion.

We chat to Siya, who moved from South Africa to Thailand

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Why did you decide to move to Thailand?  

I moved to Thailand because I was longing for an adventure. I needed a change of scenery and wanted to meet new people.  

What do you do there? 

I am an English and Drama teacher at a Thai Christian boarding school 

Have you found it to be a welcoming country and city to live in? 

Thailand is very welcoming. There is a big expat community in Bangkok. Thai people are also very welcoming – it is very common for them to greet you, ask ‘have you eaten?’ and offer you food. There are some difficult moments, but the good outweighs those times.  

What are some things you have done to help with your integration into the country that you are now living in? 

When I moved to Thailand, I took a Thai culture and language class. Skateboarding in the skateparks and befriending the Thai skaters helped me improve my Thai language abilities.  

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Do you think it is important to make an effort to integrate into the new society you find yourself in?  

I think it’s important to integrate yourself. because integration leads to the understanding of different cultures. learning the language and understanding people 

How is your life there different from your life in South Africa?  

Life here is at times a little easier. Transportation is so convenient and it is cheap to travel around the country. The cultural differences can, at times, make things challenging, but you learn to work around that.  

What do you miss about South Africa?  

I miss my family and friends, the food, the people, music, Cape Town, and Jozi.  

Do you see yourself moving back to South Africa in the future? 

Yes, I want to live in Cape Town again for the climate, the beauty, the mountains and the ocean. I want to live in Johannesburg again for my family. 

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