News / National
Zim govt to re-engage SA on documentation
25 Jan 2012 at 05:51hrs | Views
THE Government will re-engage its South African counterpart to negotiate the second phase documentation exercise for Zimbabweans staying illegally in the neighbouring country, Co-Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi has said. Although South African authorities had ruled out the possibility of a second documentation process for illegal migrants, Minister Mohadi said there was still room for engagement.
"We will have to re-engage our counterparts over the issue. At the moment they are still busy and we will have to wait for them to complete the first phase before further engagements.
"Engagements will continue because this is not a one-off thing. A lot of people continue to cross the border to South Africa without proper travel documents and it is something that happens everyday," said Minister Mohadi in an interview on Monday.
He assured Zimbabweans that the Government was doing its best to ensure that everyone obtained legal travel documents.
"We assure all Zimbabweans that the Government will continue issuing legal travel documents to them. This is one of our major duties and it is a continuous exercise," said Minister Mohadi.
"Although we encountered problems with our machines in December last year we are trying to provide efficient service with the little we have."
Minister Mohadi dismissed reports that his recent visit to South Africa was meant to discuss the documentation process.
"I had not gone for that issue but to attend the Sadc meeting on security issues, which I cannot disclose to you," he said.
The director-general of South Africa's Home Affairs, Mr Mkuseli Apleni, was recently quoted by South African media dismissing claims that a second phase to document Zimbabweans was in the pipeline.
Mr Apleni said his government was done with Zimbabwe and was turning its attention to regularising illegal migrants from other countries in the region.
He warned that all Zimbabweans resident in his country who ignored the first documentation process risk being deported.
The announcement has sent shivers among hundreds of Zimbabweans who were hoping to use the second documentation phase to legalise their stay in South Africa.
On Thursday, Mr Apleni announced that South Africa was finalising the process of documenting Zimbabweans who had applied for permits, with 255 282 having already been granted permits to make their stay legal.
He said another 20 480 applicants were still being processed.
According to the South African Home Affairs Department 275 762 applications for permits were received for the documentation process, which is expected to end in March this year.
The 275 762 applicants are a drop in the ocean in relation to the estimated two million Zimbabweans believed to be staying illegally in South Africa.
Speculation is rife that the completion of the ongoing documentation process in March would culminate in massive deportations of illegal Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa.
"We will have to re-engage our counterparts over the issue. At the moment they are still busy and we will have to wait for them to complete the first phase before further engagements.
"Engagements will continue because this is not a one-off thing. A lot of people continue to cross the border to South Africa without proper travel documents and it is something that happens everyday," said Minister Mohadi in an interview on Monday.
He assured Zimbabweans that the Government was doing its best to ensure that everyone obtained legal travel documents.
"We assure all Zimbabweans that the Government will continue issuing legal travel documents to them. This is one of our major duties and it is a continuous exercise," said Minister Mohadi.
"Although we encountered problems with our machines in December last year we are trying to provide efficient service with the little we have."
Minister Mohadi dismissed reports that his recent visit to South Africa was meant to discuss the documentation process.
"I had not gone for that issue but to attend the Sadc meeting on security issues, which I cannot disclose to you," he said.
Mr Apleni said his government was done with Zimbabwe and was turning its attention to regularising illegal migrants from other countries in the region.
He warned that all Zimbabweans resident in his country who ignored the first documentation process risk being deported.
The announcement has sent shivers among hundreds of Zimbabweans who were hoping to use the second documentation phase to legalise their stay in South Africa.
On Thursday, Mr Apleni announced that South Africa was finalising the process of documenting Zimbabweans who had applied for permits, with 255 282 having already been granted permits to make their stay legal.
He said another 20 480 applicants were still being processed.
According to the South African Home Affairs Department 275 762 applications for permits were received for the documentation process, which is expected to end in March this year.
The 275 762 applicants are a drop in the ocean in relation to the estimated two million Zimbabweans believed to be staying illegally in South Africa.
Speculation is rife that the completion of the ongoing documentation process in March would culminate in massive deportations of illegal Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa.
Source - zimpapers
