Some panic as Zimbabwean special permit closes

Source: Tariro Washinyira – Groundup, 08/10/2015

On Monday, panicked applicants who had not yet received their
Zimbabwean Special Dispensation Permit (ZSP) started queuing outside
the ABSA building in central Cape Town for help.


This was after they found a notice outside the VFS Centre, which had
until then facilitated the application process, stating: "Please note
that this office is closed from 30 September and has moved to 21st
floor, ABSA building, Riebeek Street, Cape Town. Please collect your
result from 21st floor ABSA building or email
info.zsp@vfshelpline.com."


Applicants standing in the queue told GroundUp they were in a panic as
they had not yet received any correspondence from the Department of
Home Affairs (DHA) since applying for the new permits. They are also
worried that if their applications were rejected, they might not be
able to appeal the decision since the office is now closed.


On 12 August 2014, Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba introduced a
new special permit for Zimbabwean permit holders who wished to remain
in South Africa after the expiry of their old permits.


Approximately 245,000 holders of the old Dispensation for Zimbabweans
Project (DZP) were eligible. ZSP online applications opened on 1
October 2014 and the project closed on the 30 September 2015.


Mercy Kufakunesu, who started queuing at 8:30am, applied for her
permit on 13 December 2014. She said she had been to the VFS centre
more than 10 times to check on her permit, using up all her work leave
days . After a long day standing in the queue, she was told her permit
is pending and she should come back to check. She feels the officials
who helped her were overwhelmed.


She said, "I handed my receipt to the VSF official together with
another man. A few minutes later, the official came and told us they
are still pending and we should come back again. The man [with me]
then told the official to take his receipt back and check again
because his brother, who collected his permit last week, checked his
as well and he was told it was ready. The official went back to check.
He returned with the permit."


Kufakunesu said she was told the permit would be issued after four
weeks when she first applied. She is worried her Capitec bank account
will be closed. She has received a message from the bank saying her
account will be deactivated if she does not produce a valid
permit.


"I am grateful my employer understands when I ask for leave days to
check on my permit`s progress. When I was standing in the queue in the
morning, others gave up and had to rush to work."


Bernard Toyambi of PASSOP said, "Our staff visited ABSA building where
the ZSP applicants are now being helped and established that they have
their own help desk ... Unreceived permit cases are less than
rejection cases. Our office currently has a database of less than 20
cases of unreceived permits and 300 rejection cases."


Thabo Mokgola, home affairs media liaison officer, said, "The
applicants will receive their permits. The Department of Home Affairs
and VFS made a provision for the continuation of collection of
outstanding permits. We will in due course announce the closure date
for collections. We call upon applicants to constantly visit the VFS
website for updates.There is no further appeal process. In this
regard, rejected cases are very minimal. No extension will be granted
after their expiry date on 31 December 2017. Those who wish to apply
for other types of visas will have to leave the country and apply from
Zimbabwe."