ASYLUM seekers in South Africa face arrest and deportation if they fail to meet the “unrealistic deadline” of acquiring new permits by April 30, activists warned on Monday. Bruno Geddo, the senior protection officer in Pretoria for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said that between 19_000 and 20_000 refugees were seeking asylum. Most come from African countries torn by civil wars. “As late as Friday [April 6], officials at the Pretoria Home Affairs office had no personnel to deal with the matter and there are only three weeks to go,” said Joyce Tlou of the National Consortium for Refugee Affairs. – AFP