Makone, Mohadi urged to clarify involvement in deportation plan

South African authorities announced last week that the deportations would begin as of the 31st December this year, warning that all undocumented Zimbabweans have until that date to sort out their paperwork. A moratorium on Zimbabwean deportations was announced in May last year, at the same time that the South African government announced it intended giving Zimbabweans a special dispensation permit.

That permit was meant to assist Zimbabweans in regularising their stay in South Africa, as technically, with the special permit, they no longer had to apply for refugee status to work or receive support. But that permit was never rolled out, and the paperwork crisis that epitomises South Africas Home Affairs department means most Zimbabweans in the country remain undocumented.

The announcement that deportations will resume has since been greeted with shock and anger. South African authorities have attempted to quell any panic by announcing a Documentation Project that will endeavour to get all Zimbabweans in South Africa some form of permit.

But according to the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum, the Zimbabwean authorities also need to provide some clarification to its millions of citizens in South Africa. The groups director, Gabriel Shumba, told SW Radio Africa that the Co-Minister of Home Affairs in particular need to explain why they endorsed the decision to resume deportations.

We want them to clarify what exactly has changed in Zimbabwe to support a decision to deport people, Shumba said. Our ministers, who have never bothered to speak to us in the Diaspora, have now made this life-changing decision. It is maybe not so surprising, but it is very disappointing, Shumba added.

The Exiles Forum and a number of other rights groups have this week written to the Zimbabwean ambassador in South Africa, trying to get a meeting with the authorities. Shumba said they hope to have the meeting before South Africa launches its Documentation Project in two weeks time, adding that the logistics need to be explained.

Shumba warned that this project could leave hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans vulnerable to deportation, saying that the documentation process would take many months. In order to qualify Zimbabweans must have a valid Zimbabwean passport, a letter from their employer for a work permit, a letter from their school or college for a study permit, while those seeking a business permit must produce a registration certificate and proof of tax compliance. Shumba said these are unrealistic expectations.