Permits seeking Zimbabweans force SA embassy to work till midnight

South Africa's ambassador to Zimbabwe Vusi Mavimbela has said the number of locals applying for study and work permits has trebled since January compared to the same period last year.

About 1360 students were granted key study permits in January a jump from 767 in 2014.

Last month 750 students successfully applied for permits compared to 395 inn February of last year.

This month, 229 students got the permits compared to 98 last March,.

"The number of study visa and work permits which the embassy has issued out so far is almost double that of last year but not everyone who applied was successful which is why I maintain that the numbers have actually trebled and yet there are still more people in the queue," he is quoted by the Zimbabwe Independent on Friday.

Mavimbela said the embassy staff was not forced  to work overtime and at some point even up to mid night to reduce the backlog.

In January last year, 68 Zimbabweans where issued with work permits but this year 103 work permits were granted.

But Mavimbela said the figures do not paint the true outlook.

'These statistics  comprise only of a few law abiding Zimbabweans who are willing to apply and wait for a the work permits, there are many more that are not captured in the system but still live and work in SA.'