The recent announcement by Government
concerning the withdrawal of special treatment for Zimbabweans and
other foreign nationals gives rise to a few obvious questions:
How many illegal foreign nationals are
actually living or working in South Africa?;
What impact on unemployment levels in South
Africa if many of these persons return to their country of
origin (i.e. are not issued with work permits)?;
How can we avoid possible Xenophobic
attacks as the tide turns against persons without valid work
permits?;
What would happen if the elections in
Zimbabwe in 2011 prove remotely successful, Mugabe's government
becomes merely a historical anomaly and the promised USA, EU, UK
and SADC (and of course from China) investment materialise in
2011?;
In what sectors within the Zimbabwean
economy would these investments be made?;
What skill sets now only available from the
South African economy could possibly be attracted in the short
to medium term to work in Zimbabwe and sub-Saharan Africa in the
long term?;
How would this exacerbate the existing
skills shortage in South Africa at the upper end of the economy
and what impact would this have on unemployment in South Africa
at the lower end?;
Is an unemployment rate of 10% achievable
in South Africa as opposed to the existing 25 - 30%?;
If an unemployment rate of 10 - 15% is in
fact achievable in South Africa what impact would this have on
poverty levels, crime, education etc in the medium to long
term?;
Above all, what measures should South
African organisations be putting in place now to ensure they
have the skills and human capital resources necessary to meet
future talent requirements?.
Pretoria
-
Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has set her department
a deadline of a little more than five months to complete the process
of documenting Zimbabwean nationals.
By 30 June, Home Affairs officials would have sifted through the
more than 275 000 applications from Zimbabweans who applied to have
their stay in South Africa regularised.
According to the department's director of the Zimbabwean
Documentation Process, Jacob Mamabolo, by this date, all
applications need to have been adjudicated; thousands need to have
been reviewed and successful applicants need to have been issued
with their permits.
He said once the documentation process was complete, Zimbabwean
nationals, whose applications had been approved would have until 31
July to collect their permits from the department's offices
countrywide. This would give them a month's grace period.
"From August 2011 onwards, Zimbabweans, who are not in possession of
the necessary documentation that regularises their stay in country,
will be subject to our normal immigration laws," Mamabolo added.
He said that while 1 August was not a deportation date, the
department would continue to conduct their normal operations with
law enforcement agencies to implement the Immigration Act.
The department had a comprehensive plan in place to ensure that the
30 June deadline is met.
"This includes fast tracking the dispatch and adjudication of all
outstanding applications, the fingerprinting of applicants,
sustained engagement with the Zimbabwean government to fast track
the issuance of passports to approved applicants and stakeholder
engagements with other interested parties," Mamabolo said.
Cooperation from the Zimbabwean government was essential if the
deadline was to be met, he said, adding that the department was
expected to initiate "sustained engagement" with the Zimbabwean
government to expedite the issuing of passports.
Dlamini Zuma is expected to meet her Zimbabwean counterpart next
week to discuss the issue and Director General Mkuseli Apleni will
also meet high ranking Zimbabwean officials. - BuaNews
Pretoria
- Undocumented Zimbabwean nationals living in South Africa will no
longer receive special treatment following Cabinet’s decision to
withdraw the special dispensation policy for Zimbabweans.
Currently, officials are prevented from deporting or arresting
undocumented Zimbabwean nationals in South Africa irrespective of
their legal status.
Government spokesperson Themba Maseko, however, told a media
briefing on Thursday that the special dispensation, introduced in
April last year, will end on 31 December and all Zimbabweans living
in South Africa after that date will be treated like any other
foreign nationals.
“The decision seeks to ensure that all foreign nationals who reside
in South Africa are documented and their presence is regularised.
After the 31 of December all undocumented Zimbabweans will be
treated like all others and their deportation will resume,” Maseko
said.
This decision follows a bilateral agreement between the Ministers of
Home Affairs from South Africa and Zimbabwe.
He said Zimbabwean nationals who are working, conducting business or
studying in South Africa will be issued with permits provided they
have valid Zimbabwean documents.
There will further be an amnesty for the Zimbabweans who may have
obtained South African identification documents fraudulently on
condition that such documents are returned to the Home Affairs
Department.
Maseko said the two governments will establish a joint “monitoring
and evaluation” committee that would see the effective
implementation of the process.
The issuing of the various permits will commence between now and 31
December and the deportation of undocumented Zimbabweans will resume
after this date. A similar process will be initiated for nationals
from other neighbouring countries in the future. – BuaNews
Thursday, 2 September 2010
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