South Africa refugee appeals backlog reduced

The South Africa — Department of Home Affairs (South Africa) announced that reforms at the South Africa — Refugee Appeals Authority of South Africa (RAASA) have reduced the active refugee appeals caseload by more than 12% from 79,870 cases at end of 2024 to 70,976 at end of 2025. A total of 19,064 cases were removed from the ringfenced backlog of 133,582 appeals during the 2025/26 financial year, a 14.2% reduction. The backlog had accumulated over more than two decades, with some cases dating back to 2008. Reforms included appointing 40 additional advocate members, increasing daily hearings, introducing targeted adjudication strategies, and strengthening performance management. RAASA also expanded collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to improve decision quality. Minister Leon Schreiber noted that a recent South Africa — Constitutional Court of South Africa judgment against repeat applications will further aid progress. The reforms aim to restore integrity to the asylum system and build a more efficient immigration system.