'Millions of Zimbabweans face deportation'

More than 130000 undocumented Zimbabwean immigrants have benefited from a special dispensation - but the government still has no idea how many of them are living in this country illegally.

Department of Home Affairs director-general Mkuseli Apleni yesterday told the Home Affairs portfolio committee that 134369 Zimbabweans, who had been in the country without proper documentation, had been issued with work, business or study permits since the introduction of the special dispensation for Zimbabweans in 2009.

But Apleni said the department still did not know how many Zimbabweans were in South Africa illegally.

"We do not have that record," he said.

He warned that illegal Zimbabwean immigrants who had failed to take advantage of the special dispensation could be deported when the September deadline for applications expired.

"To those people who chose not to apply, we have to apply . the immigration laws of this country," he said.

The number of Zimbabweans at risk of being deported could be as high as 4million, according to civil society organisations.

The dispensation was agreed between South Africa and Zimbabwe in response to the high inflow of illegal migrants to this country.

Apleni said that, since the special dispensation came into effect, 275762 Zimbabweans had applied for documentation to legitimise their continued living in South Africa.

Of these applications, 141393 were at a pre-adjudication stage because further information was required. Another 6243 people had applied for amnesty.