SA MOVES TO DEPORT 1 MILLION ZIMBABWEANS Own Correspondent JOHANNESBURG THE South African authorities have finalised plans to launch a massive programme of deporting illegal Zimbabwean immigrants, a move likely to affect more than a million people. There are an estimated 2 million Zimbabweans staying and working in South Africa, with less than 700 being on proper residence and working documentation. The SA government had earlier this year contemplated virtually kicking out almost all Zimbabwean economic refugees through cancelling special permits issued in 2010. However, after a lot of advocacy and lobbying, the SA authorities extended a reprieve to less than 300 000 Zimbabweans on the special permit, who now have a grace period to apply for new documents. But there is not any good news for over a million Zimbabweans who do not have permits, because SA Home Affairs director general Mkuseli Apleni has announced a looming crackdown. We want to make it categorically clear that all Zimbabweans who failed to acquire permits in 2010, will with effect from October be deported from our country, he said. We have a list of about 242 000 who benefited from the programme of 2010. The rest are illegal immigrants and we are saying there is no reason why the should remain in the country. Sources within the SA immigration and police say teams are likely to be deployed within a week, across the country and to launch the crackdown of deporting illegal Zimbabwean immigrants. The move by SA signals the deepening of frustrations over the regime of President Robert Mugabes failure to solve Zimbabwes national crisis. As a regional powerhouse, SAs stance on its neighbour is vital in gauging the mood and attitude by the Sadc region towards the Zimbabwean situation. In the past, SA made concerted efforts to support Zimbabwe and even provided financial assistance. However, top sources in President Jacob Zumas administration say their government is now fed up with Mugabes arrogance and Zimbabweans lack of commitment towards finding a solution, according to one source. Zimbabwe continues to sink into deepening economic crisis, forcing more desperate people to flee into SA and other neighbouring countries to seek employment. Mugabe continues to put a face of bravado and arrogance, but without any clue on how to stem the economic disaster, which is rooted in a crisis of political and governance legitimacy caused by his rigging of last years elections.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 06:08:34 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015