Its reported at least 250 000 Zimbabweans living in South Africa will have to compete for only 35 000 critical jobs with other foreigners following changes to SA immigration rules last week. Furthermore Zimbabweans who were issued with four-year quota permits in 2009 will have to renew them after they expire in December this year. Last week, the South African government listed 35 000 positions as the only critical posts to be offered to foreigners. According to South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs, the list of critical skills has 53 categories and 35 000 positions. All categories of work permits will be scrapped and a new critical skills work visa will be introduced. The critical skills work visa will mirror the skills that South Africa desperately needs, according to the government while companies would be required to prove they hired a foreigner because they had failed to find a suitably qualified South African. Other reports said Zimbabwe’s outgoing ambassador to South Africa, Phelekezela Mphoko, said South Africa had nothing to offer Zimbabweans and urged them to return home. Mphoko said Zimbabweans are dying in South Africa and families face heavy financial burdens to bring home the dead. This was a grim assessment of life in South Africa by the outgoing ambassador. The outgoing Zimbabwean ambassador told media that during his three–year tour of duty he witnessed many Zimbabweans suffering. Mphoko says young economically active Zimbabweans are dying in South Africa from diseases, and at least 30 bodies need to be repatriated each week. It is estimated during the last decade, at least 1.5 million Zimbabweans have fled to South Africa in search of work.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Jun 2014 08:39:47 +0000
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