Zimbabweans seeking exemption permits have to apply at 10 Visa Facilitation Services (VFS) centres and have fingerprints taken. But the sheer number of people still to be seen by the end of November has many deeply concerned.

There is only one VFS centre in Gauteng. People there described waiting to be seen four or more hours outside in the sun after scheduled appointments. The Midrand centre sees on average more than 1800 people a day and VFS staff leave as late as midnight.

Jiten Vyas, chief operating officer for Africa at VFS Global, said: “As of 3rd November 2017, 161304 applicants have successfully filled their forms and 121357 applicants have successfully booked their appointments [countrywide].”

Tens of thousands of appointments must be completed by month-end.

Mufaro Majange, selling funeral policies to Zimbabweans at the centre, said: “It’s always [crowded] like this – and there are so many [people] they have to serve. The [VFS] staff are doing a great job to be honest.”

Many Zimbabweans asked not to be identified. They feared jeopardising their visa applications. One man said people were treated like “dogs” waiting in the heat. A woman described the temporary toilets as “stinky”.-Times