Because South Africa's immigration framework provides little opportunity for legal economic migration from Africa, economic migrants have turned to the country's asylum system in overwhelming numbers. As demand on the system exceeds its capacity to function, the gaps in immigration policy have hindered the effective functioning of the refugee system. As a result, the protective nature of the refugee system has been transformed into one of control – motivated by the need to reduce the numbers of economic migrants. In response to the tremendous demand on the system, government efforts have focused on efficiency. Because of these efforts, individuals are being routinely denied refugee status, in accordance with refugee and administrative law, without proper consideration of their asylum claims.
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