Mixed feelings on Zim dispensation
2010-10-01 15:42
Cape Town - There were mixed reactions to the "Zimbabwean Dispensation Project" from Zimbabweans queuing up to renew or apply for documentation at the Wynburg home affairs office in Cape Town on Friday.
A woman, who like many others in the queue snaking its way into the parking area outside did not want her name published, said she had no problem with the project "if it's true".
"If it's true, then it's a good thing," she told News24, referring to government's assertion that the process is to ensure that all people within South African borders are known and documented.
She said there was a belief among some within the Zimbabwean community that the operation was a drive to identify criminal elements.
"People talk. They say they (home affairs) are searching for people when they are taking fingerprints," she said.
Omega Manokore, who said his stay in South Africa was on an asylum seeker permit, was back in the queue for the second day on Friday, eager to submit his documents for a study permit.
"It's going to be better especially for us, because it's difficult for us to go to home affairs every three or six months to renew our papers," he said.
Fears of xenophobia
Although he was confident his application would be successful, he said he was concerned about the impression the project was giving in "the location" (Khayelitsha) where he works.
"It's difficult in the location. They (might) not understand the situation. Some of them think we (Zimbabweans) will be chased away on the 31st of December. They (home affairs officials) have to clarify," he said.
A frustrated Tambudzayi Derera told News24 she did not know what to do after having been turned away from the Wynberg office because her arts and crafts business in Hermanus is not registered with Sars.
"You are doing things for yourself. I pay rent to the municipality for my stall," said Derera, who is also in South Africa on an asylum seeker permit. She does not have a passport.
"They would not even let me in," she said.
Derera will have to apply for a passport at the Zimbabwean consulate in Johannesburg as the one in Cape Town is not in operation.
Discrimination
Another Zimbabwean national who would only give his name as "Mtandazo" questioned the whole process, saying it was discriminatory.
"If they (South African government) have anything against us, they must just say it. I mean, there's two million of us and they want all of us to have a permit in three months but they let in 20 people a day," he said referring to the procedure at the Wyberg home affairs office.
The South African government has said in the past that the project would be implemented in stages and would be rolled out to other nationalities in time. Zimbabweans have been prioritised because they are believed to make up the largest grouping of immigrants in South Africa, it said.
"We've been through tough things. We don't even rest (sic) for two month from the World Cup and now comes this dispensation," the man said, referring to threats of xenophobic violence and sporadic violent incidents against foreign nationals after the World Cup in July.
Visibly frustrated, he said he would submit his application for a work permit, but would not go back to Zimbabwe if his application was declined.
"We don't want to lie," he said sitting amongst a group of other applicants. "We will make a plan. Even if they try to arrest us now here at this home affairs, we will start running this way," he said pointing toward the road.
No extension
He said it was of no consequence that the Zimbabwean government was in support of the documentation drive.
"They are fine. They are living in big houses. They can't debate about my bread. I am the bread winner for people back home. If I leave here many people will suffer," he said.
Although there are no official figures, it is estimated that up to two million Zimbabweans live and work in South Africa. It is not known how many are in the country illegally.
In April 2009 the South African government introduced a special dispensation that exempted undocumented Zimbabweans from deportation while they get their documentation in order.
It said at the time the exemption was in response to the massive influx of Zimbabweans in search of economic opportunities in South Africa.
In August, home affairs announced that it was withdrawing the dispensation and set 31 December as the deadline for all Zimbabweans in the country to be documented and "regularised". The process began on September 20.
On Friday the Department of Home Affairs announced that the December 31 deadline would not be extended.