South Africa's asylum system is showing signs of progress, with the Refugee Appeals Authority of South Africa recording one of the biggest reductions in its backlog in years. The Department of Home Affairs says active refugee appeals have dropped by more than 12%, with thousands of cases finalised as part of a broader reform programme. However, with tens of thousands of cases still pending questions remain about whether these reforms will be enough to fully restore confidence in the system. We spoke to Advocate Zilpha Raphesu, the chairperson of the Refugee Appeals Board.