Zim, SA to meet over permits

Lincoln Towindo
MINISTRY of Home Affairs officials and their South African counterparts are scheduled to hold an emergency meeting soon to discuss the fate of 250 000 Zimbabweans living across the Limpopo whose special permits expire this year.The South African government is expected to decide whether or not to renew Special Dispensation Visas (DZP) issued to the Zimbabweans under a 2010 amnesty.

According to new immigration regulations introduced in that country on May 26, those affected will have to return home to apply for an extension of their permits, which could also qualify them for permanent residence.

Special permit holders fear losing jobs if the documents are not renewed.

Any breach of the law will result in offenders being banned from visiting South Africa for between a year and five years.

Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi was optimistic about the outcome of the forthcoming meeting.

“We have not yet concluded discussing the issue with our South African counterparts, but the discussions are ongoing. We will meet soon; right now I cannot confirm the date because we are still waiting for the South Africans to write to us, which we expect will be very soon,” said Minister Mohadi in an interview last week.

“There is no reason to panic because everything is under control. This is a very small matter, which is not at all insurmountable. We are confident that after we conclude the discussions and agree on one thing we will all be smiling. We are not even thinking about repatriating anyone at the moment because we have not even got to that part at all.”

The new regulations have drawn mixed reactions with tourist business operators arguing their operations could be affected.

Last week the matter spilled into the South African Parliament where Democratic Alliance legislator Masizole Mnqasela advocated extending the permits, saying Zimbabweans had contributed greatly to the development of their host country.

That country’s Home Affairs Minister, Mr Malusi Gigaba, recently expressed fear that permit holders could apply for permanent residence, causing “shock to the system and government”.