News / National
Zimbabweans throng SA Embassy
07 Jan 2015 at 13:27hrs | Views
Hundreds of Zimbabwean immigrants thronged the South African Embassy in Harare over the last two days in a last-ditch bid to secure required travel documents to return to the neighbouring country.
At the same time, thousands more were being turned away by South Africa's immigration officers at the Beitbridge Border Post since January 1, after they failed to produce the required documents under the new visa and permit dispensation dubbed the Zimbabwe Special Permit (ZSP).
The queue, which only began subsiding in the afternoon, winded from Second Street Extension into Cork Road and turned again into the entrance of the embassy.
When the Daily News crew got to the embassy yesterday morning, permit applicants, mostly students, were anxious to get in while one embassy official went along the queue answering questions, especially on whether it was worth it for the applicants to wait in the long queue.
"There is just one queue for everything and anything to do with embassy; first time applicants, students and inquiries," complained one man.
South Africa had given Zimbabweans living in the neighbouring country up to December 31, to apply for special permits. But some Zimbabweans reportedly faced difficulties with renewing their permits as they failed to get through the call centre and online services.
The special permit legalising the Zimbabweans' stay in South Africa was introduced in 2009.
Zimbabwe Home Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi has been in constant engagement with his South African counterpart Malusi Gigaba over the issue.
Mohadi last week told the Daily News: "I cannot comment on the deportations now because I have not yet received any official communication from the South African parent ministry."
There was no further update yesterday.
Almost a quarter of a million Zimbabweans applied when the process was first introduced and by December 31, the South Africa Home Affairs had received 207 802 applications.
Between two and three million Zimbabweans live and work in South Africa, according to estimates.
At the same time, thousands more were being turned away by South Africa's immigration officers at the Beitbridge Border Post since January 1, after they failed to produce the required documents under the new visa and permit dispensation dubbed the Zimbabwe Special Permit (ZSP).
The queue, which only began subsiding in the afternoon, winded from Second Street Extension into Cork Road and turned again into the entrance of the embassy.
When the Daily News crew got to the embassy yesterday morning, permit applicants, mostly students, were anxious to get in while one embassy official went along the queue answering questions, especially on whether it was worth it for the applicants to wait in the long queue.
"There is just one queue for everything and anything to do with embassy; first time applicants, students and inquiries," complained one man.
South Africa had given Zimbabweans living in the neighbouring country up to December 31, to apply for special permits. But some Zimbabweans reportedly faced difficulties with renewing their permits as they failed to get through the call centre and online services.
Zimbabwe Home Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi has been in constant engagement with his South African counterpart Malusi Gigaba over the issue.
Mohadi last week told the Daily News: "I cannot comment on the deportations now because I have not yet received any official communication from the South African parent ministry."
There was no further update yesterday.
Almost a quarter of a million Zimbabweans applied when the process was first introduced and by December 31, the South Africa Home Affairs had received 207 802 applications.
Between two and three million Zimbabweans live and work in South Africa, according to estimates.
Source - dailynews
