'Reverse passport price hike'

Zimbabweans living in South Africa have launched a petition to urge their government to reverse the recent passport fee hike for citizens residing in the neighboring country. The Zimbabwe Community in South Africa, representing these citizens, expressed concerns that the new passport fees are unaffordable for ordinary people.

The Zimbabwean embassy in South Africa recently increased the passport price from R3,000 to approximately R4,540. In response, Zimbabweans staged a demonstration at the Zimbabwean consulate in Johannesburg and the embassy in Pretoria, demanding a reversal of the fee hike.

The online petition, initiated on July 30, aims to collect over two million signatures. The petition describes the new US$250 passport fee as exorbitant and unaffordable, particularly considering the average earnings of Zimbabweans in South Africa. It argues that this increase imposes an overwhelming burden that prevents citizens from securing essential legal documents, which are fundamental to their human rights. The petition calls on the Zimbabwean government to reassess and reduce the fees to a fair amount.

Former Operation Dudula commander Nhlanhla Lux also criticized the fee hike, stating that it undermines efforts to ensure all migrants in South Africa are documented and legal. He expressed support for the Zimbabweans' march and urged South African citizens to back their cause, emphasizing the importance of affordable documentation for legal residency in both Zimbabwe and South Africa.