Mohadi, Gigaba to meet over new immigration laws

IN a move that might bring relief to millions of Zimbabweans living in South Africa, Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi will be engaging his South African counterpart, Mr Malusi Gigaba, to find common ground after the South Africa Government made a raft of changes to its immigration laws.

The changes announced by South Africa are set to affect permits issued under the Special Dispensation for Zimbabweans making their continued stay in that country impossible.

In an interview with the Sunday News, Mohadi said he was well aware of the situation that has caused anxiety among Zimbabweans in South Africa and was waiting to meet Mr Gigaba.

"I have pencilled a meeting with the new Home Affairs minister in South Africa asking to discuss this issue of permits and if he responds to my call I will be travelling to South Africa very soon to have a one-on- one meeting with him," said Mohadi.

Mohadi said once the consultations have been done he would be able to give a solid position on the issue as a number of Zimbabweans were anxious about the developments that were likely to see them deported or engaging in cat and mouse games with law enforcement agents.

The South African government last week revealed the list of critical skills that are needed in their country where foreigners are qualified to apply for work visas but the challenge is that most Zimbabweans living in that country have no special skills to talk of. This means that they would be left at the mercy of immigration authorities and may face deportation.

Of the Zimbabweans living in South Africa 250 000 who benefited in the Special Dispensation for Zimbabweans (SDZ) programme are not necessarily in possession of any critical skills meaning that they may be left out in the 35 000 critical job list released by the SA government last week.

The secretary for a South Africa-based group which represents the interests of Zimbabweans in South Africa, the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa, Mr Khumbulani Moyo, said a lot of Zimbabweans would be left out as many of them were not professionals.

He said some Zimbabweans had vowed not to return to Zimbabwe but they risked losing jobs and accommodation in South Africa, unless they were guaranteed of getting their permits renewed if they return.

Some migrants' rights groups, meanwhile, have warned that the changes could force people to engage in illegal activities.

A huge number of Zimbabweans are said to be working in the food and agriculture industries which industries do not require them to have any professional qualifications.

"Most of the Zimbabweans have no special skills and they are working in farms, casinos, restaurants, domestic workers, general construction work, security, car guards and car washes," said Mr Moyo.

He said just a small fraction of Zimbabweans had the desired critical skills which would mean a majority would not be able to apply for the new visas as they were under-qualified.

Moyo said the chances of people meeting requirements were slim, bearing in mind that when the process was done four years ago it was a challenge.

"The chances of them leaving South Africa are not very high as most have been in South Africa for more than 10 to 15 years prior to the arrangements and are living illegally without those documents. They will go back to the old trend of dodging the police," he added.

The organisation said the special request which they would advance to the South African government was meant to map the way forward for the affected Zimbabweans.

"We are asking for there to be a special legislation to look at the over 250 000 people who benefited from SDZ who are affected by the new immigration laws.

"We are asking that people who were given the special permits four years back be allowed to apply for renewal while they are still in South Africa," Mr Moyo said.

The Zimbabwe Community in South Africa said some among the 250 000 who benefited had no valid documents and were told that they would be pardoned if they came forward which they did and now their permits might not be renewed.

Some had asylum status which they surrendered for work permits which are still renewable. Other affected Zimbabweans are those that had registered their companies under the business permits and have employees working under them who are South Africans.

One other challenge that Zimbabweans also face is that employers were not willing to hold on to vacant positions as they were not being given an indication on how long the permit renewal process would take.

There is also no clear indication or guarantee that is being shown by the South African government on the way forward, and they do not want to find themselves transgressing immigration laws.

In a statement to the media, Home Affairs director general, Mr Mkuseli Apleni, said the South African government needed people who would be able to come to their country in order to improve their economy.

The special permits will be valid for at least five years with spouses and dependent children of a Critical Skills Work Visa holder being issued with appropriate visas valid for a period that does not exceed the period of validity of the applicant's Critical Skills Work Visa.