South African based refugee rights group, PASSOP, has accused the Zimbabwean government of robbing its citizens in South Africa, where more than a hundred thousand Zim nationals are still waiting for passports.
Zimbabweans who have applied for permits to remain in South Africa legally are still waiting for their government to issue them passports so they can get the permits. But the Zim authorities have not made good on their promises to roll out the documents, even shunning meetings with civil society to explain the delay.
The crisis means South Africas Home Affairs Minister, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has arranged to travel to Zimbabwe in search of political intervention. PASSOPs Anthony Muteti told SW Radio Africa on Friday that Dlamini-Zuma is planning to visit her Zimbabwean counterparts, co-Ministers Kembo Mohadi and Theresa Makone in the next two weeks, in an attempt to get the political buy-in needed to get out of the current deadlock.
We think it is insulting that a South African Minister should be required to go to Zimbabwe to encourage the Zimbabwean government to do their job and deliver on their promises, Muteti said. Muteti explained that Zim nationals are feeling angry and frustrated that no information has been made available about when they get their passports, after paying R750 for the documents. He added that many people are also afraid for their futures, because thousands of Zim nationals had to apply for South African permits without their passports. It is more worrying for people whose fate is dependent now on getting these documents, because this will determine if they can stay in South Africa or not, Muteti said.
South Africa has extended its moratorium on Zimbabwean deportations until later this year, in order to process the estimated 270 000 applications for permits made last year. The documentation process was launched last September, as a special amnesty period for Zim nationals to regularise their stay in the country.
The process has been hampered by Zimbabwes failure to produce enough passports for its citizens, amid suspicions that the delays are politically motivated. Commentators have said that ZANU PF could be behind the delay, because they are trying to prevent the Diaspora vote in the coming elections. Muteti agreed that people are suspicious saying that: It is obvious that if people go back home they are not going to vote for ZANU PF.
Post published in: Politics