THE exercise to register Zimbabweans living in South Africa in need of assistance to return home ended yesterday, with officials now compiling a report outlining the type of support Government will provide.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa Mr David Hamadziripi told The Sunday Mail that there was an “overwhelming” response, particularly for consular services that include issuance of birth certificates and passports.
The Government deployed a team to the neighbouring country to undertake a mapping exercise of Zimbabweans living and working in South Africa under the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) dispensation.
The exercise began on March 13.
“The Government’s initiative was welcomed by Zimbabwean nationals, especially those who sought to apply for birth certificates and for passports and related consular services,” he said.
“At some venues, the response was quite overwhelming. Our teams were, at the majority of venues, able to deliver the intended services.
“What is evident is that we need to undertake these consular outreach programmes on a more regular basis so that our nationals can obtain these essential civic documents, which, in turn, enable them to have the necessary documents to regularise their stay in South Africa.”
Ambassador Hamadziripi, however, said the response from ZEP holders “was way below our expectations”.
There are over 178 000 ZEP holders living and working in South Africa.
Last year, the South African government announced the termination of the ZEP arrangement by December, directing permit holders to apply for visas to remain in the country on the basis of a list of critical skills.
The deadline was later extended to June this year.
“The team members who were involved in this exercise are expected to collate and analyse the data that they collected and prepare a report for the Inter-Ministerial Committee tasked with coordinating and implementing this return programme,” he added.
“It is our expectation that the report will inform the Government on the specific assistance to be delivered and the resources required for the effective delivery of that assistance.
“The report will also inform on any other measures that may need to be put in place to facilitate the return and settling in of the returnees.”
The teams, he added, did not encounter significant challenges.
“Nevertheless, the team assigned to the Cape provinces faced huge demand for consular services at some venues and was unable to attend to all who had presented themselves.
“We are already planning on returning to those venues in the shortest possible time, as soon as the resources are secured for that purpose.” – Sunday Mail
