Rights groups in South Africa have accused Zimbabwe consular officials in that of robbing many Zimbabweans, desperately trying to get passports to avoid deportation.
Undocumented Zimbabweans in South Africa have been given until the end of the year to regularise their stay in the country, or face deportation. Critical to getting the permits allowing them to stay is proof of Zimbabwean citizenship, in the form of a passport.
The documentation process has resulted in confusion among the tens of thousands of Zimbabweans trying to get the right paperwork, and reports of corruption have marred the process further.
SW Radio Africa was told that consular officials have been refusing to issue passports until bribes are paid. There are also reports that some Nigerian nationals, with money to spend on bribes, have managed to secure Zimbabwean passports ahead of regular Zimbabweans.
Refugee rights group PASSOP also accused consulate officials of accepting their passport application payments of R750 and then refusing to provide the service or refund applicants.
The group cited as an example the case of a farm labourer working in the Western Cape farming community of De Doorns, who was made to pay a passport application fee of 750 rands only to be told that he did not qualify for a passport and could not be helped because his father was Mozambican.
Crucially, he was refused a refund of his deposit payment (almost a months wage) and was instead told to travel back to Zimbabwe (without a passport) to apply for citizenship, PASSOP said.
PASSOP intervened on the mans behalf and contacted the Consular General, Chris Mapanga directly, who assured the group that he would resolve the matter and refund the Zimbabwe applicant. But that refund has not been issued.
The Consular General has not only misinformed our office, he has betrayed a poor Zimbabwean who has already been forced to flee starvation, a result of the Zimbabwean government failing to protect and provide for him, the group said.
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