SOUTH AFRICA’S Home Affairs minister Malusi Gigaba yesterday said he would make a pronouncement on the Zimbabwean Special Dispensation permits next month, adding that he was aware of the anxiety it had caused. CHIEF REPORTER More than 200 000 Zimbabweans in the neighbouring country are in panic mode after the introduction of stringent immigration regulations that would see those that overstayed being banned from entering South Africa. Zimbabweans were granted special permits in 2009 to legalise their stay in South Africa, but the permits are due to expire before the end of this year. Last month, Gigaba hinted that his ministry would not extend special permits granted to Zimbabweans under the special dispensation by a year arguing that there would be an influx of permanent residence applications. “I want to be blunt; 250 000 Zimbabweans are holders of these permits. Once you extend with one year, 250 000 Zimbabweans will apply for permanent residence citizenship and that will be a shock to the system and the government,” Gigaba said. “I wish to announce that we are in the final stages of deliberations about the Zimbabwean Special Dispensation, which will expire in December this year. “I am mindful of the anxiety among the Zimbabwean nationals in possession of this special permit issued in 2010, but I shall announce my decision in August this year,” Gigaba said. Gigaba said future policy development would focus on, among other issues, a framework to better deal with economic migrants, most of who have tended to pose as asylum seekers. He denied reports that the stringent immigration laws were part of an Afrophobic agenda to keep Africans out of South Africa. “After all, South Africa cannot be separated from Africa and hence we can neither shut ourselves off Africa nor can we shut our eyes to the enormous risks that the new world possesses in abundance” he said. South Africa’s Statistician General Pali Lehohla yesterday said Zimbabwe contributed the greatest number of permanent residence permits granted last year with 1 939. He said 18 899 Zimbabweans were also issued with temporary residence permits during the same period and this accounted for 29% of such permits his country granted. “As you can see, Zimbabwe accounts for the lion’s share,” said Lehohla while releasing a statistical report on documented immigrants in South Africa for 2013. Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa (ZCSA), Ngqabutho Mabhena, yesterday urged Zimbabweans in South Africa to be patient and wait for the announcement on the special permits instead of relying on social media updates. The immigration regulations, which came into effect in May, introduce a new visa regime for South Africa and outline a clear distinction between short- stay visas and long-stay permanent residence permits. It also stipulates that visa applications need to be made by applicants in person, and those wanting to change the status of their visa can no longer do so in South Africa, but have to do so at missions in their home countries.
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 05:25:13 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015