PRESS RELEASE.
Zimbabwe Special Permit (ZSP) holders in South Africa have come out of their slumber to advocate for their fate pending the announcement of the future of the permit by the South African Minister of Home affairs Hon. Malusi Gigaba.
The SA Home Affairs Department said it was in the process of deciding what should happen to the holders of the Zimbabwe Special Permit once it expires on 31 December this year. The minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Malusi Gigaba has said he needed time to apply his mind on the matter without being put under pressure.
Nearly 200,000 Zimbabweans are in possession of this permit and are currently working in the country.
Chairman of ZSP Lobby Group, Darlington Chiuta, said : “We are humbly requesting that we also express our plight to him as ZSP holders so that he can also consider our input while he applies his mind on the matter. We do not believe that asking for a chair on the table where our fate is being discussed can be any wrong doing no-matter which angle you look at it from”.
He said he was optimistic that the South African government would at least consider the families of the ZSP holders that they have built in South Africa for seven years after combining the duration of the two permits issued to them. He further stated that the majority of people on the ZSP possess low qualifications and would not qualify for
mainstream visas. He said his is this an organisation already? Be cautious of exposing the entire project to public scrutiny will lobby home affairs to also allow for those who can migrate to mainstream visas to be allowed to apply in South Africa as the current permit
does not allow for such.
While not anticipating bad faith from the SA government Mr Chiuta decried the fact that those who had heeded the call for amnesty by the government in 2009 to hand in their fraudulently acquired documents for legitimate ones were in a dilemma while those who had not were
having the last laugh. “ We today actually look like idiots in the
faces of those who did not surrender their documents or register under the then DZP as they stand to lose nothing and we stand to lose all that we have worked for seven years with the banks gearing up to repossess our houses and cars that they financed” he added.
Address thousands of ZSP holders, the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF) Advocate Gabriel Shumba said, “The Zimbabwe Exiles Forum wishes to put it on record that we are continuing with the lobbying and advocacy work associated with any possible extension of this permit. With other human rights organisations and the Zimbabwean consulate, we are equally worried, and continue to engage the department of home affairs on this issue.”
“We are grateful that the Minister continues to engage on this very
sensitive and life-changing issue. As ZEF, we welcome his statement and as he has said, urge Zimbabweans who can migrate to mainstream permits to do so while this call is open.
Many officials at the home affairs erroneously believe that one cannot
apply for another permit while on the ZSP, whereas the position is that you are only barred from extending or changing conditions of the same permit while in South Africa,” said Shumba.
Janet Munakamwe, an expert in migration and labour issues and also the Chairperson of African Diaspora Workers Network (ADWN) concurred with Chiuta. She implored Home Affairs to reflect on the demographical data of the ZSP holders who are predominantly employed
in vulnerable sectors like domestic, cleaning, drivers, gardening, farm work and others. “These categories of workers might find it difficult to migrate to mainstream permits due to the stringent
conditions and requirements like skills,” she said.
The deputy consular (DC) from the Zimbabwean consulate Mr. Energy Chawoneka emphasised that the ZSP issue was a result of bilateral talks between the two governments and the holders should be patient and wait for the official announcement from the Hon Minister of Home Affairs.
The meeting gave an opportunity for Zimbabweans to share the problems they are already facing as the expiring of the permit comes closer.
The DC urged all Zimbabweans to respect the laws of the land in the host country, a position that I supported when I said rights come with
responsibilities. The minister of Home Affairs is however on record urging holders of the ZSP to apply for mainstream permits, outside the special dispensation.
Under a special dispensation granted by Pretoria in 2014, Zimbabweans who had previously been granted permits under the Dispensation for Zimbabweans Project were allowed to re-register for the three-year ZSP.
For more information contact:
Stanley Karombo – ZSP Lobby Group Communications
Tel: 0722444538 0r skarombo@gmail.com
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