This report is based on research conducted in South Africa by Peter Bouckaert, Orville Schell Fellow in the Africa division of Human Rights Watch, and consultants Busani Selabe of the University of the Witwatersrand Refugee Research Programme (RRP), Jonathan Klaaren of the University of the Witwatersrand Faculty of Law and the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS), and Jeff Handmaker of Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR). The report was written by Peter Bouckaert, based on an earlier draft by Busani Selabe and additional work by Bronwen Manby, counsel in the Africa division of Human Rights Watch, and Chris Dolan, formerly of the RRP. Bronwen Manby wrote the appendix on the obligations of South Africa under international law, the section on domestic legislation (based in part on work done by Jonathan Klaaren), and edited the report. The report was also edited by Peter Takirambudde, executive director of the Africa division, Binaifer Nowrojee, counsel, Wilder Tayler, general counsel, and Jeri Laber, senior advisor. The section of the report addressing conditions of detention was further edited by Joanne Mariner, associate counsel and the coordinator of prison work. Ariana Pearlroth, associate of the Africa division, Lucinda Saunders, intern in the Africa division, and Patrick Minges, publications director, provided invaluable production assistance.

Human Rights Watch would like to thank its many NGO partners who contributed to the report by offering their opinions and by facilitating interviews and visits. In particular, we would like to thank Lee Anne de la Hunt of the University of Cape Town Law Clinic; William Kerfoot and Catrin Verloren Van Themaat of the Legal Resources Centre (LRC); Sheena Duncan and Alison Tilley of the Black Sash; and Vincent Williams of the South African Migration Project (SAMP) at the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA). Jonathan Klaaren of CALS assisted in the writing of the report, provided legal analysis, and participated in a number of visits and interviews in the Johannesburg and Mpumalanga border area. Jeff Handmaker of LHR also contributed legal analysis, and helped set up and conduct our interviews in the Pretoria area. Busani Selabe of the RRP conducted some of interviews and visits for this report, and Chris Dolan and Nicola Johnston of the RRP allowed us access to their extensive research files. Human Rights Watch would also like to thank the many South African officials who agreed to be interviewed for this report and who facilitated access to detention facilities.

Human Rights Watch recognizes with appreciation funding for work on South Africa from the Netherlands Organization for International Development Cooperation (NOVIB).

Most of all, we would like to acknowledge the many undocumented migrants, asylum-seekers, refugees and others who agreed to speak with us and provide information for this report.