via South Africa to Implement Tough Permit Application Process by Benedict Nhlapho, Blessing Zulu VOAZimbabwe
President Jacob Zuma’s administration insists that foreigners should apply for permits while in countries of their origin.
The South African government insists that Zimbabweans, who obtained four-year permits under the Zimbabwe Documentation Programme implemented in 2009, will be required to go back home and apply for their renewal while in Zimbabwe.
Deputy Home Affairs Minister Fatima Chohan told a press conference in Pretoria on Wednesday that all people who were in South Africa illegally and were awarded permits in 2009, are expected to leave the country when their documents expire.
Chohan, who refused to answer questions after making the announcement, said a cabinet meeting last week made this resolution which requires each applicant to reapply for permits at designated points while in countries of their origin.
Permit seekers say this is not workable as going back home is out of question due to serious economic hardships in Zimbabwe.
Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor is next Tuesday expected to elaborate on how the process of dealing with Zimbabweans whose expiring permits issued under the special dispensation for Zimbabweans project will unfold.
Pandor was said to be in Texas, United States of America, on an official visit.
Acting Pretoria cabinet spokesperson, Phumla Williams, said cabinet resolved that Zimbabweans who complied with the relaxed work permit requirements and who were given work permits under the special dispensation would be allowed to reapply in their country of origin.
The programme allowed Zimbabweans to stay in South Africa under relaxed conditions and provided them with work, study or business permits and suspended their deportation.
According to Pretoria, permits issued during the initial 2009 dispensation will expire November 14th this year.
Communications officer Daniel Muzenda of the Zimbabwe Migrants Association said his members are anxious to hear what happens next in their bid to stay in South Africa.
South Africa’s immigration system is governed by the Immigration Act of 2002 and its subsidiary legislation. An alien who is not a permanent resident in South Africa may be admitted to the country only if he or she is issued a valid temporary residence permit.
South Africa has 13 different temporary permit classes: visitor’s permit; study permit; treaty permit; business permit; crew permit; medical treatment permit; relative’s permit; work permit; retired person’s permit; corporate permit; exchange permit; asylum transit permit; and cross-border and transit permit.
The immigration law mandates that all illegal foreigners be deported. It is an offence for employers to hire an illegal foreigner, for an educational institution to register an illegal foreigner for classes, for banking and other institutions to provide an illegal foreigner with certain services, and for private citizens to have any dealings with an illegal foreigner other than providing humanitarian assistance.
Certain illegal foreigners may apply for status adjustment.
COMMENTS
Well done Minister Pandor for hearding our call for all Foreigners to pack bags and go home. Immigration officer must be on stand by to effect the mass deportations come November. Bad economic decisions in their countries must not affect us. If you can start with that Daniel Muzenda and his crew. We are unable to provide for our citizens because there’s more and more mouths to feed. I was on the verge of voting for the D.A. whom I know will clear up all this mess without having to offer an explanation. If I was a Zim I would be very happy to get a chance to go home, after all home is where the heart is.
Proudly South African
But are you not the very people who cheer and wellcome gukurahundi Mugabe with the loudest of all applauses on each and every official trip he makes to South Africa?
You applaud the man who makes the same “bad economic decisions” you are talking about, that cause the illegal immigration; and now some of you are even praising little Julius Malema for wanting to copy the same “bad economic decisons” – do you people rally understand yourselves?
Many black South Africans are all in arms against President Jacob Zuma, but will applaud Mugabe; but if as a Zimbabwean you say to a South Africans, “Ok, lets exchange Presidents – you can have Mugabe whom you praise as so much and let us have Zuma as our president” – many of you will not accept, why?
It seems to me, Mugabe is a Hero to black South Africans, as long as he practices his heroism in Zimbabwe, not in South Africa. The contradictions among South Africans are not funny; they are bewildering.
I spoke to one guy who spoke so admiringly of Mugabe – but when I pointed out that he should then vote for Julius Malema’s EFF since he is copying the gukurahundi policies – the guy would hear none of this. I just cant get it really!!
I have noticed your seemingly xenophobic comments Mr Proudly South African against our fellow African brothers running away from tyranny. How you call yourself Proudly South African really baffles me because to me you don’t seem to understand the history of our struggle, who was there for us in needy times. From where this country is going economically, very soon we’ll be worse than what Zim is now. By God’s grace Zim would have been reconstructed. Will you not be the first to go to that country for a better life? Be kind to those in distress now for you don’t know what tomorrow holds. These guys are not stealing, they are working for their families. The least we can do for them is accommodate them while the put their house in order. Those with work permits should be allowed to renew them and they are only 270000 which is not a big number.
Lerato, i really like your well thought commentry. This clearly shows maturity, interlectuality and Africanism. All foreigners in this country have never dreamt of living so far away from their homes but this only happened because of bad political climate in their respective countries. Thank you once more for your diversified way of thinking.
may our God escape you lerato,during the tym he wil destroy ths sodom and gomora,respectively matured pple ,poor and rich,foreigners and citizens,highest and lowers,plz u pple dnt u feel shy whn u ,treaty ur own brothren?,are thy nt the once who asist u to get ths butter,honey,and milk that ur pouring dow lyk u forgoten ur ,sufferings.thy were taken from their nation 2 ths rhodesian side,to work in the mines tht make ths nation to be seen better,u leave those who sale drugs,and those who kidnape,but u run to unsin pple.remembr ths s the same thmg that made God to make sodom,gomora in ashes.south africa,u must have love with all africans,and all humans around the world,life,joy,suffering it takes a secod to,end,remember the suffering of esralites in african nation egypt,but today its another story,God loves us also us lets love one another.a real man dosnt think bout,what he have ,but bout his death,lets love one another as Lord jesus urge us .love u all world brothrens.
It is only short-sightedness & ignorance of our history as Africans which will get someone making such pathetic xenophobic comments. If you knew your history you would be able to trace your origins perhaps to Central Africa & if we were very effective at tracing it we would all trace it to the same ‘Village’. Just because Jan van Riebeeck, Rhodes, Johnson & company came in 1652 & imposed their own borders to ring-fence their interests & satisfy their greed & avarice does not mean those borders they imposed are sacred. We take time to wake up & catch up don’t we? The good news is we will eventually. God is going to make sure we have ‘incentive’ to move from our so called country in future & seek solace elsewhere… & at this rate it’s not going to take long for South Africa!
Why are Zimbabweans blaming South Africa? If you have a problem blame Robert Mugabe and ZANU. Your liberators have made you beggars. You need to liberate yourselves again. This problem cannot be easily escaped. South Africa owes you nothing
We are not beggars we are workers put a Zimbabwean in any tough situation they won’t blame government they always take it as an opportunity to excel
Life is a liddle brothers tomorrow its u
Honestly people must think before they talk or express their views, to you proudly south African , just try to trace the history of Zimbabwe and south Africa during liberation struggle and apartheid era , u will learn a lot and u will be able to control your mindset ,extricate that bad xenophobic and barbaric way of thinking.
Proudly South African might have been insensitive to the plight of fellow Africans, but the truth is there is a large number of black south Africans who feel disenfranchised by the large number of foreigners flocking into their country. The infrastructure is also not managing to contain the large number of pple vanoita zvemaspace. If you go to Windsor and other areas where they live 16 people in a room, you will see the impact on the sewage system. But as a Zimbabwean, i know what the cause is. We have had to live a country of our birth because of disappearance of opportunities under the guard of zanu pf. But surely trying to pin our anger on south africa and its pple, without looking at our side of the misfortune is being self-centred and untruthful. The problem sits with us. South Africans have been good to us. No other country was given those free work permits. All we want is to blame others? How about our own leaders?
The only good thing about this move is that it deals a devastating blow to the lack of humility and arrogance of most Shona speaking Zimbabweans in South Africa.
It is them who love to brag about Zim being the most educated nation on the continent; it is them who always claim themselves to be hard workers than South Africans; it is them who always claim South Africans are lazy.
Its just unfortunate that the Mthwakazi people in South Africa, due to their minority status among Zimbabweans in South Africa and in almost every country they have fled to, always happen to be victims of circumstances in such situations – all because of the Shona majority.
This notwithstanding, I believe South Africans are also just too intolerant of black people from the continent. I can not believe that Zimbabweans can be said to be taking their jobs. The question is, do they really want those jobs in the first place? not always.
I can assure you, even if they deported all Zimbabweans, there will still be millions of South Africans without jobs, because the issue is not and has never been the presence of foreigners; but the unemployability of many black South Africans because of lack of skills.
They even go to the extent of exaggerating the number of Zimbabweans; quoting some wild figures of 4 million – how rediculous? If this is so, so how many people are left in Zim?
Many black South Africans talk as if there are no South Africans living in foreign lands. Their claims of crime by foreigners are also pretty nauseating, given the number of South Africans in foreign jails for drug peddling and many other crimes.
Mr socalled “The Truth” u seems to be out of line. The issue is about Zimbabweans in South africa not mthwakazi and the shonas.
Why is it when South Africans use the words foreigners to describe Zimbabweans. The should not be passed for a certain group of people. The word Foreigner means Alien or Non-Citizen not Zimbabweans. We tend to personalise issues of a legal or humanitarian nature. When Thabo Mbeki was in zimbabwe during apatheid we never told him to go and sort out his apatheid. All South africans took it as brotherly love during times of need, now its Zimbos they have to pack their bags shames
Chanuwa Chidembo
Yes its about South Africa, but we in Mthwakazi have been in SA since the 1980s as a result of gukurahundi, but never had these same problems from the SA govt that we are now facing today; ask yourself why?
Because, unlike you people, we have long memories, this issue can never be far removed from the Mthwakazi vs Shonas in the context of gukurahundi and the politics of marginilisation; hamutongi nyika yedu and muri ma deputy edu – which is what led us to leave Zimbabwe in the first place, before you all followed us later!!
My fellow Zimbos, do not worry. Pride always comes before a fall. South africa is just like any other african country. Do not be fooled by the overabundance of pale skinned faces in their land. This is africa. If south africa doesn’t realise it now, they will very soon. Their economy is already sliding and eventually, this being africa, will slide the same way as the rest of africa into the abyss. Zim by then, having learned our lessons, will have been restored to its former glory. South africans, we are patiently waiting for you to join the rest of your fellow african brothers and sisters. its is only a matter of time till you come crashing down to earth with a thud. your pale skinned fellow citizens whom you worship and kiss ass will flee. Black south africans, where will you go? we shall see
NMDJ
You forget that the Zim economy is heavily dependent on South Africa’s economy. Why do you think there the Beitbridge border post is always heavily congested with truth from both directions. Its the busiest in sub-Saharan Africa for a very good reason.
Zim as a landlocked country and dependent of SA’s ports; rail lines and road networks will never thrive when SA goes down. This is the reality my friend.
In case you want to tellme about Maputo, Dar es Salaam or Walvis Bay in Namibia, forget it – these ports a very inefficient; long distances (high logistics costs) and do not have the capacity to handle the big ships that visit Durban or similar Container traffic. The rail and road network is almost non-existent!!
@NMDJ
Before you talk you first have to do your research. SA had an economic growth or 3.9% last year short of the target of 6% that we set. We have a black middleclass that is highly educated and cannot be told lies like MUGABE does in your country. I wish you can start learning your lessons now and develop your country. SA will alway be investor friendly which is why we are the most preferred destination with no sick laws like the indiginisation rubbish that won MUGABE his 9th or 10th term in office.
My dear brother, African Liberation movements all behave the same when their grip on power is threatened. Even if it means destabilising the country through unleashing violence on its citizens or rigging the election in daylight. The MDC won resoundingly in 2008 but with the help of the South African gvt through Mbeki, Zanu Pf is still in power. When you hear Zuma saying ANC will be in power till Jesus comes, he mean it & its true. You can all vote for the DA but ANC will be in power & will not relinquish that power. And when that happens, the economy will be on a freefall. The signs are already there. Take a look at how the ANC is attacking the Public Protector. Very soon she will be replaced by a party cadre who sees no evil, hears no evil. All state institutions will be overseen by likeminded cadres including the military and the Judiciary. Up to now the SA gvt has a 2002 report which confirms that the Zim election was indeed rigged and they are refusing to make public. This is just a way to protect their comrades in arms and their business interests in Zim.
Proudly South African, I do appreciate your sentiments about wanting Zimbabweans out of your country. A lot of people who lack analytical skills think the way you do.
In deed Zimbabwe is a mess but it is however laughable that you believe South Africans cannot be told lies similar to those that Mugabe tells Zimbabweans. If that were the case, Zuma would not be president. For starters, if there had been any justice in your country he would have served a jail term together with his partner in crime, Shabir Shaik whom he rewarded with a presidential pardon. Shaik was found guilty of bribing Zuma but Zuma was not even charged. Weird.
As we speak, his party is busy defending the 227 million rand expenditure on his private residency and yet South Africans will still give him a second term.
Zuma’s friends, the Guptas, landed their private jet at one of SA’s uppermost key security air force basis, Waterkloof. Where was the air surveillance system? How could that even happen?
Pot holes are becoming a hallmark of SA’s roads as was featured on Carte Blanche. As for SA being a favourite investment destination, you are being delusional.Just last year BMW moved a vehicle assembly project from SA due to the unstable labour environment.
So, while Zimbabwe has done very badly resulting in many of its people fleeing the country, your sense of superiority may be a tad to early. Corruption under Zuma is going to take your country down as evidenced by may service delivery protests. The ANC policy of cadre deployment will continue to ruin your country and it illustrates it is not very different from other African countries.
One could go on and on. The long and short of it is that while you are arrogantly beating yourself on the chest, you do not seem to realise that the rot has set in in your country and the downward spiral has started. 20 years into your democracy many still use the bucket system.
SA is not investor friendly my friend. there are strikes left right and center, the black population is largely unskilled and poorly educated, not to mention the constant violence that foreign nationals are subjected to. your country is not invetsor friendly. stop practising blind patriotism. the rand is falling like no mans business right now, lol. wake up “bru
Zuma endorsed elections in zimbabwe did he ever think of the future of zimbabweans in south africa NO BRAINS.
@Jobolinko
Remember that you were chanting and cheering on the MUGABE rallies so now after you get him to office you blame our democraticly elected president who will leave office after this coming last term.
I think it is ZImbabweans who have no brain because they have been fed lies and they believed them.
@Proudly South African. Your Xenophobic hatred has blinded you to the truth on the ground. You will never ever rid South Africa of Zimbabweans because of the intertwined history of the two nations. For your own information, my great grand father was a migrant worker at Wenela in SA. So was my grand father and father. And here I find myself working in an SA government department with an SA ID document although I know that I am originally Zimbabwean. All my forefathers’ graves are in Zimbabwe and I have a home in Zimbabwe besides the mortgaged property that I have in Pretoria. So there you have it, most so called South Africans in government and the private sector are actually not original South Africans and the truth is they control the SA economy.(I know of similar friends in the Police, Army, banks, and other government departments). So can you please stop your waffling and look at other alternatives like introducing an economic visitor’s permit for foreigners etc. You deport Zimbabweans, you waste your time and money because they will be back in the country the following day with the support of the police, army, immigration officials, employers etc. Most white employers anywhere are ex-Rhodesians /Zimbabweans (mostly dispossessed farmers and industrialists) and they are sympathetic to fellow Zimbabweans because they have been there in the land of Mugabe, the murderer.
@Madluphuthu
I want to see now what is going to happen now with the conversion to I.D. card. We want get rid of people like you. YOu will kiss you job good bye.
South Africa gave a thumbs up to a rigged election and now Zimbabweans are suffering and you are now abondoning us.
@The truth
Note that the only people who cheer for brainless Mugabe are the EFF supporters. It is still unclear to me why there are people cheering MUGABE. As for EFF its just loud mouth, they are not going to win the elections.
@Lerato
South Africa will never ever be like Zim simply because if the ANC take that route I will simply vote D.A. Remember that during apartheid only the political activists ran to ZIm which is understandable and we can easily do the same but we cannot accommodate over 2 million people and other are reported to be on their way. No matter how big or rich a country is, having endless mouths to feed will sooner or later have its toll on the economy.
@Promise
Please do not throw at me your Textbook arguement because the whole humankind evolved in Africa. I can’t go to china and tell them because they evolved in Africa so they must let me in. I”m talking about the here and now situation. If I become unemployed now it will be very difficult to get another job because of the Zimbos.
@Rashid
Now is you time to excell from the economic roune on your country. To show your stupidity you even adopt the most expensive currency around and expect to develop. Imagine buying a lousy coffee for $5. With that I can get the whole packet of teabags, small suger pack and 1lt milk. I can enjoy that for over a month.
@rockstone
I’m very much familiar with our history. I’m aware that only the political activists crossed the border for political reasons. I can say far less than 1000 of them crossed to other country so must we then pay by accommodating 5 million foreigners at our expense? NO WAYS.
@The Truth
What skills do Zimbos have because over 90% of all that run to us are unskilled and expect SA to help feed them and their families. For your information in the 90’s we used have an abandance of Jobs and opportunities. If you all leave our country it will be back to the happy days. We do have south africans in other countries but they all have a good reason for being there eg. projects, research etc. non for looting.
Proudly South African listen to wat Madlu said the Zimbos are running the South African Government . We have the IDs my friend so continue to stay in sharks we will be sharing flats with the rich whites . And we will make shure that Zimbos get again permits wether u like it or not
Proudly South African is right to feel threatened by these economic refugees from our country.I listened to one of these so-called refugees boasting saying we are here for jobs otherwise we like the politics back home.If S Africa does not need their funny skills they should not waste time deporting them.Its funny that some of the people make silly comments like Zimbos can work hard,if that is true let them come back home and develop their own country.The problem is that Zimbos always over rate themselves against other Africans,which is stupid and completely misguided.Get rid of them S Africa before it becomes a very serious cancer.They are needed back home to till the many farmers which are under utilized.
ps-last sentence farms NOT FARMERS
It’s sad to note that some people don’t think. Zim collapsed becoz of the support other African presidents gave Mugabe. South African economy won’t fall now or even the next 30 years simply coz they have put in place good policies and have attracted all skilled personnel and may be a million of free labour from Zim, Swazi and Mozambique. So ideally it’s cheap of SA to produce while the rest of Africa import from SA even the Indians are flooding SA but it’s only the unlucky Bangaladesh who are seen as foreigners. Zimbabweans have done bad choices in the 90s buy having a party state. Besides Zimboz brag too much. From my analysis. Zimbabwe has been having a lot of incompetent leaders in both private and public sectors since they failed to come up will policies and strategies that were good. I wonder today Ernest and Young comments now about Zim tax laws as if it was not there in the past two decades. South Africa has a good tax system. Effective banking policies or monetary policies. They know how to play their politics. They won’t play with items that will mess their country.
“THE TRUTH” you have said the truth and nothing but the truth!!
Hear no evil see no evil speak no evil!!
Oh so you mean I’m gonna kiss goodbye to my son and my boyfriend. Never it won’t happen I’m gonna stand like a warrior . I’m a proudly Zimbabwean but your missions will never mess up mine.
I wonder if there are only Zimbo’s in SA,I do not blame South African’s wanting other black African’s to go back home,I guess the White Foreigners have more to offer them than us,but the hatred is just too much and am not saying all black foreigners in SA are good,some are good and some are bad. As well the South Africans themselves,we have the good ones and the bad one’s as well,wonder how the country would be if there are no black foreigners!!!
@the so called Truth and Proud for nothing south African, its not politics or by the economy of this country tht you breath, it is by the grace of God,we all human wether black or white frm india or china, dont speak as if you have authority over politics and economy, thr are deeper things beyond all these tht you are ignorant of, we are here today and tomorw we might be gone, thank God for wht you have under these circumstances with the foregners and stop being evil to people who alredy suffer evil, dont tell us about many mouths to feed, do we quee at yr place fr charity.focus on yr life and mybe go to church were you will learn tht its not Gods purpose to have bounderies, whn im here in Sa im at my rightful place of residence same applies whn i go to zim or anywhr else this is the earth created by God fr us to live in humony not fr these evil politician who have brainwashed yr mind to become so evil to yr own kind fr yr own selfish reasons.
Dont wory Zimbos our zim is gonna rise-up 1day,,let them chase us-we have hope..we are not lost.
Its very unfortunate that blacks hate themselves this much!emancipation from mental slavery begins with YOU!inferiority complex……………
NMDJ You sound like a bitter person against South Africa because of this immigration laws. I just want to tell you that if you want the blessings God’s Word says bless and do not curse and you will be blessed but if you curse you chase the blessing away from you. God’s Word says be thankful always despite circumstances and situations.Everything happen for a reason and God Almighty is in control of everything in this Universe and He allowed South Africa to revised its immigration laws. I bless African continent that it will be prosperous and people will live peacefully with one another. Let us learn to bless each others’ countries as your curse means more blessings for South Africa and a curse on your country. Even those who curse us South Africans you giving us more blessings. I would like to thank all Zimbabweans who contributed to the economy of South Africa and I really like the Ndebele’s who comes from Zimbabwe as they are so humble and have outstanding leadership qualities.
south africans are the most stupid people iv ever come across
I would like to ask our government about all this horrible things that are happening with the innocent South African youth who are now taking drugs (Nyaope)buying them all the corners of our country because of Nigerians,Zimbabwean and also Pakistan who sell our people old stock of groceries and this is affecting our nation who are now affected with different kinds of deseases and they end up leaving school earlier,no longer going to work because of their sickness.When coming to cigarrete smokers,this people are selling cigarrette which are not inspected,and they are strong and affecting people with TB which also causes Lung Cancer to them because of officials who take bribes from this people and apply ID for them in order to be South African residents.
Fellow South African,remember the first conference which was held by our President Mr Nelson Mandela at Cape Town in 1990 stating that,South African Youth must arm themselves with the weapon of education,because our neighbours are going to rule this country,he was referring to all immigrants who came illegaly in our country,and I would also like to ask the Home affairs to rectify their mess because of bribery,If the government can stop this people now,that will help the South African to leave the better life.
Our country is in danger because of the home affairs officials who are taking bribes from this people and also the SAPS and the SANDF officials who are working at the borders.They allow this people to cross and come to our country illegally,and they will take South Africa.before it is too late please send this people back to their respective countries,Nigerians,Ghananians etc who came illegally in this country they also specializing in money laundering and they use South African to succeeed in their mission of getting rich and buy ammunition in order to fight us and take our land.We knew that during ancient regime most of this countries helps the South Africans people who fled this country because of apartheid but some of them in exile also killed our brothers ad sisters and now they came to our country to take it as part of the revenge.
PLEASE ASSIST SOUTH AFRICAN PEOPLE IN ORDER TO BE SAFE IN THEIR COUNTRY.
Personally; l.m regretting why Mzilikazi left Kwazulu Natal 200 years back and Landed all those Zulus people (who are now called Ndebeles )in Zimbabwe.Cauz in Zimbabwe we are treated like 2nd class CItizens as evidenced by the Gukurahundi mass killings of the Ndebeles by MUgabe’s regime back in the 1980s. And when we ndebeles come to South Africa we regarded as foreigners and yet we know we are Zulus who unfortunately went with MZilikazi to ZIm. But all the same l would like to thank our South African who help us during the time when Zim was facing serious economic crisis in 2008 honestly 75 percent of Zim population was going to starve to Death if it was not for the SA Gvt that allowed Zimbos to work in SA some without proper documents honestly NO Country in World can allow. So guys lets not pray for the demise of the South African economy because its like Biting the hand that feeds You.
On the hand lets not forget that South Africa has its own problems it has to solve. Forinstance; the majority of its people are not employed cauz most of the jobs have been taken by us the foreigners. Is that fair? Guys lets the face the truth. Its not fair put yourself in the South African people shoes and feel the pain they are going thru.
Personally; l.m permanent resident of South Africa but l feel its now high time we Zimbabweans; me included; pack our things and go back to Zimbabwe and solve our problems instead of staying in Sa where we are no longer welcomed cauz. I urge all African governments to Stop protecting detactors when we vote them out of power as what happened in stolen 2008 elections in Zim where Thabo protected a dictator and murderer that was booted out power. And that led to Zimbos flocking to South Africa leading to these xenophobics attacks we are experiencing.
Zimbambweans its high time we go back home and solve our problems in our beloved country Zimbabwe!
Stop worryng that was God’s plan.fear nt no one in this world is here to stay.let most important things worry u.eveyone is a foreigner in this world thus why we dying