ZSP 'submissions receipt' is as good as an SA permit!

Fellow Zimbabwean nationals, your ZSP 'submissions receipt' is as good as an SA permit!

Minister Malusi Gigaba's re-assuring pronouncements that Zimbabweans who are applicants under the ZSP dispensation can still travel freely to and fro between their country of Zimbabwe and South Africa are not theoretical but very practical. We officially engaged the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria on Wednesday (25th March) in a fruitful discussion with the DHA (ZSP) Director, Mr Gerson Muti to get further clarification on the fresh concerns of our fellow nationals, and their affirmations were tested at the border the same day!

Mr Gift Eglone, in his capacity as the leader of Community of Zimbabweans in SA, and in an executive oversight role to the ZSP Permits Forum indeed proved their affirmation at the border the same Wednesday with a trip to Harare, and came back this Friday morning with no grey hair whatsoever given to him although his passport had its days that had expired in October 2014. He also took some time to discuss with some Immigration officials at the Beit bridge border itself on other related challenges that had been faced by other Zimbabweans as reported to us.

What matters the most now to cross the border without being charged a fine for "overstaying" is a VFS receipt which is an applicant's proof of submission of your relevant documents to DHA. It is no longer an online application form that is necessary for such purposes. The issue of the submission receipt is feasible in the sense that only the remaining 2028 are in the process of finalising booking appointments, with over 162 000 interviews having been done at VFS Centres.

The exit stamp at the border is now accompanied by the words "ZSP", and days are only issued for regulatory purposes until such a time an adjudication outcome is released. Even if the indicated days are defaulted before the outcome is received by the ZSP applicant, there is no law that is applicable to charge such a Zimbabwean national. In other terms, they are indemnified from any immigration laws by a brief amnesty owing to the delays of their outcomes from DHA.

No travel plans are expected to be disturbed by any matter relating to the absence of a "valid permit" outcomes on any road whether in Zimbabwe or South Africa. As ZSP Permits Forum in association with ZIM-ID (SA) we would like to wish all our fellow Zimbabweans travelling back home a wonderful Easter holiday. We extend same regards to our extended natural families and ZIM-ID family within Zimbabwe an enjoyable but very brief family moment with their kith and kin over the Easter weekend.

This press publication statement has been issued by the ZSP Permits Forum in association with ZIM-ID (SA) Team Diaspora. We can be contacted on zim.id263@gmail.com or on the following numbers: +27 71 210 9685/ +27 73 812 5463. For other instant fresh updates we make other regular posts on our Facebook page "ZSP Permits Forum". You can also visit www.zim-id.org.