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Harare Bureau
Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi has refuted claims in some sections of the media that South Africa wants to re-introduce visas for Zimbabweans travelling to that country.“The Home Affairs ministry is yet to receive such a report from the immigration authorities of South Africa. I am not aware of that. I still have to find out,” he said.
He also said if there were any developments concerning the introduction of visas, the ministry would notify the public. There was similar speculation last year when some sections of the private media, smarting from the drubbing the MDC-T got in the harmonised elections, claimed South Africa was reintroducing a visa for Zimbabweans to stem immigration.
Ronnie Mamoepa the Deputy Director-General of Communication in the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa, dismissed the claims saying the visa regime between Zimbabwe and South Africa remained unchanged.
“The visa situation for Zimbabweans remains the same, and there has not been any changes. All changes and policy positions are published on the Department for Home Affairs website at www.dha.gov.za. However, the Minister of Home Affairs has not issued any such statement, nor do we intend to do so. Please inform your readers that the visa situation remains the same.”
In October 2012, Zimbabwe and South Africa signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on migration which abolished visa requirements between the two countries, making it easy for citizens to cross borders with relative ease.
Three years before that, the South African government had agreed to allow Zimbabweans to visit for 90 days without a visa and during this time they could seek temporary work. This they said was part of regional integration efforts.
Authorities said the relaxation in visa rules was to facilitate the legal movement of people between South Africa and Zimbabwe and strengthen efforts to fight human trafficking, human smuggling and other cross-border crimes.
Online Reporter