via SA accused of ‘u-turn’ in Zim permit saga | SW Radio Africa by Alex Bell on Tuesday, May 20, 2014
The South African government has been accused of making a ‘u-turn’ in its decision to change its Zimbabwe permit policy, amid reports that the authorities have already stopped processing documents.
According to the MDC-T structures in South Africa, Home Affairs offices countrywide have been told to stop issuing or processing any documentation related to the Zimbabwe permits, which were issued during the special dispensation period in 2010.
This follows a Cabinet resolution in March that those documents will expire in November this year. The resolution also included a statement that fresh permits can be applied for, but only back in Zimbabwe. Since then, there has no clarification about how the renewal process will proceed, with many Zim nationals expressing fears of returning to Zimbabwe until there is a guarantee they can get the documents renewed in good time.
Rodgers Mudarikwa, an official with the MDC-T in South Africa, said this was a ‘u-turn’ from a previous agreement that the permits would be renewable after the expiry date. He accused the government of “changing goalposts.”
“The SA government is running away from their agreement that the documentation project was going to be renewed after the expiry. But since the resolution in March, they are hiding from engaging with us,” he told SW Radio Africa.
He meanwhile explained that officials at Home Affairs offices have stopped issuing permits that Zim nationals are still waiting for.
“The department is also not re-issuing new work permits for those who lost their passports with valid work-permits. Those who got two year work permits on the basis of the ending life-span of their passports are not being issued the remaining two years, even after acquiring new passports,” Mudarikwa said.
He said that some Zim nationals have been fined and stopped from returning to South Africa after going home for personal reasons, despite being in possession of documents supporting their permit status.
“In South africa, the Immigration Act says you need to return home to apply for permits and that can take up to three months. Zimbabweans are going to be forced to work here (South Africa) illegally. There is no way they are going to go back to Zimbabwe and wait three months for approval,” Mudarikwa warned.
COMMENTS
Zimbabweans have messed up their own country and now they expect South Africa to be sympathetic. Nobody is asking about how Zimbabwe immigration treats South Africans who want to live in Zimbabwe.
look at the way zim police treat SA tourists in zims.bunch of uneducated goons in uniforms , scum of the earth.
John Thomas
Mthwakazi never messed up Zimbabwe. We never voted for Mugabe in 1980 and 1985.
These are the elections that consolidated Mugabe’s rule, through the appointment of ZANLA people to the Registrar General’s Office, the Elections Commissions, the army, the police, the CIO, the Civil Service and the prison service, to ensure he could never be removed from power through elections.
Anything that came later post 1985, the damage had already been done. So please leave Matebeleland alone in this.
Actually, if truth be told, we are the ONLY people who should be given these permits by South Africa for the same reasons.
The rest should be deported to live with their Pamberi naba Mugabe, Tinotonga rubbish!!
The difference is that the majority of Zims in SA are in effect refugees whereas S Africans who want to live in Zim are, for the time being anyway, in a position to choose. The S A refugee problem has yet to kick in but when it does, after the way they have treated our people they will never be welcome either here, in Botswana or in Mozambique. They are envious, treacherous, hate-filled and murderous people. Ask anyone who has lived among them. You just have to look at how Mbeki and Zuma have betrayed our people by stealth to know what I’m talking about.
If South Africa is going that route it means there will be illegal immigrants and how will they keep track of them in case of controlling crime. They should know that even if you deport them, the very same evening they will be back. Its like trying to fill a leaking drum.
@ mahlaba
Then thats where they’ll be getting a bullet from south african national defence force.
i am one of the zimbabwean working in south africa under the permits that were issued in 2010.i think the government should let those still employed by the companies which they got the first permits with to be allowed to renew as long as the company still need thier services.working for the same company for 4 years means you are productive.it will be really difficult if people are send home to start new life from scratch.please let people continue working for same companies as long as they are crime free in the country.
http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2014/05/21/zim-permits-expire-in-december-home-affairs
There’s no U-Turn here. There was a political problem in Zim when these permitts were first issued but now Mugabe has been re-elected everything is now peacefull.
Why do they expect us to pick up the pieces of the mess your leader is causing in his country. I”m sick and tired of us being affected by the mad and rubbish policies this leader makes to please his electorate.
The next step after the expiry of these permitts is the cancellation of the fraudulently issued I.D. books. Some holders can’t speak any South African language but the I.D. says he is S.A. born.
Lastly, to all those that think I’m a Zim in disguise note that my anger is because I hate Zim and its people with a passion because they are at the root of our problems. I’ve never been to Zim and will NEVER EVER go there no matter what.
There are plenty of white South Africans who speak ONLY English, but their IDs say “born in South Africa”!!
Konyepa iwe. You’re a failed Zimbabwean who ran away. If you’re so full of hatred for Zimbabwe and its people then why are you always cruising this site?
for me there seems be still no freedom of movement in the southern african regions for ordinary people who want to work in one country and the Southern African Dictators Club are buying time as usual known as African peoples time.
MDCT or even the coalition should get IMBISA and those organisations that deal with migrants e.g. SAMP (more than one organisation dealing with migrants will be helpful) on board to talk to the authorities failing them SADC. They should not give up they should continue to persue the matter at other angles
What do people expect these ordinary citizens to do when companies are closing down at a fast rate?
Guys stop fooling yourselves.we just voted and we voted ANC on condition that it must create jobs.so ANC is busy doing some clean up in order to for us the voters to get what they’ve promised during election campaigns.
So you can say what ever you say the fact is the ruling party is under pressure from us the electorare to create jobs.it will do whatever it takes to garner more members and votes for the next municipal elections.
So all you have to do leave peacefull and start afresh in your lovely country. You’ve got what it takes to build your country, stop being cowards.
Everyday as uMthwakazi, we are told to “go back to South Africa” or “to go create your Mthwakazi in KwaZulu Natal”.
But the interesting thing is that the very same people who say these things to us are now in the majority in South Africa, among the immigrant Zimbabwe population.
They are also in the forefront of those crying for the renewal of these permits by the South African government.
Some of these people, victims of Mugabe’s tribalistic gukurahundi political upbringing are very, very funny indeed; their tribalism is pure stupidity of the highest order!!!
SADC also needs to get its act together or call it a day- simple