Women Asylum Seekers and Intermediaries in South Africa

Intermediaries play dual roles as both facilitators and meddlers of migration for migrant women seeking asylum in South Africa. South Africa’s non-encampment policy makes it an attractive destination for migrant women seeking jobs. Drawing on exploratory qualitative research, including participant observation and semi-structured interviews with twelve women asylum seekers, the study found that they encounter structural, legal, and administrative barriers that shape their migration trajectories and expose them to exploitation by intermediaries. They depend on intermediaries, also referred to as “agents,” because of urgent immigration needs, desperation, and the complexity of the South African asylum and permit renewal process. Intermediaries exploited women by portraying asylum as the only option, even in cases where they do not qualify for such protection. The article underscores the need to regulate intermediaries to address vulnerability and exploitation.