News / Africa
SA coming up with a new special permit programme for Zimboz
27 Jun 2013 at 11:30hrs | Views
SOUTH African authorities say Zimbabweans based in that country, who benefited from a special permit dispensation, should not worry as Pretoria is coming up with a new programme.
Two years ago South Africa relaxed regulations for Zimbabweans and gave four-year permits, which expire in one-and-a-half year's time.
South African Home Affairs minister Naledi Pandor said she had commissioned a study about the regularisation of foreigners exercise and that will determine how her ministry proceeds.
"I am carrying out a review of how that whole approach worked, because it was a pilot project for us and we have to look at what we do following on that, so we have commissioned a study and I am expecting the results early in August," she told South Africa's Radio 702.
"I will then indicate (what happens from there), but they should not worry, I am not a person who just does things in a careless fashion."
South Africa is in the process of amending its immigration laws and there are fears that this could affect several thousands of Zimbabweans.
Pandor said there was a misunderstanding on the role immigrants played in South Africa and this had stoked xenophobic tensions in Africa's biggest economy.
She said South Africa had international obligations to assist asylum seekers and a responsibility to protect refugees.
"We will be engaging South Africans more and more in the next few months because I think the reason we are having this violence against foreign nationals is that we have not explained to South Africa that we have a responsibility to assist asylum seekers and we have a responsibility to protect refugees," Pandor said.
An estimated three million Zimbabweans are believed to have fled the country, the majority of them to South Africa, at the height of Zimbabwe's economic and political crises.
Two years ago South Africa relaxed regulations for Zimbabweans and gave four-year permits, which expire in one-and-a-half year's time.
South African Home Affairs minister Naledi Pandor said she had commissioned a study about the regularisation of foreigners exercise and that will determine how her ministry proceeds.
"I am carrying out a review of how that whole approach worked, because it was a pilot project for us and we have to look at what we do following on that, so we have commissioned a study and I am expecting the results early in August," she told South Africa's Radio 702.
"I will then indicate (what happens from there), but they should not worry, I am not a person who just does things in a careless fashion."
South Africa is in the process of amending its immigration laws and there are fears that this could affect several thousands of Zimbabweans.
Pandor said there was a misunderstanding on the role immigrants played in South Africa and this had stoked xenophobic tensions in Africa's biggest economy.
She said South Africa had international obligations to assist asylum seekers and a responsibility to protect refugees.
"We will be engaging South Africans more and more in the next few months because I think the reason we are having this violence against foreign nationals is that we have not explained to South Africa that we have a responsibility to assist asylum seekers and we have a responsibility to protect refugees," Pandor said.
An estimated three million Zimbabweans are believed to have fled the country, the majority of them to South Africa, at the height of Zimbabwe's economic and political crises.
Source - 702
