End of the line for illegal Zim nationals

The government has decided to stop allowing Zimbabweans to stay in the country temporarily without proper travel documents.

It was announced at a Cabinet briefing yesterday that the decision was taken in order to legitimise the estimated 3 million Zimbabweans living in the country illegally, many with fake South Africa identity documents.

It will allow them time to obtain passports, work or study permits, as well as other documents that will permit them to be in the country legitimately. But if they don't get them by the end of the year, they will be sent packing.

Migration experts and NGOs have slammed the move, calling it an endorsement of "a policy of mass deportation".

Briefing journalists yesterday, government spokesman Themba Maseko said the Cabinet "had approved the proposal to end the special dispensation for Zimbabweans".

"The special dispensation that was put in place during the political crisis in Zimbabwe was to allow free movement of Zimbabweans into the country to come live, study and start businesses here without requiring a permit," he said.

"But we believe some form of stability has returned to Zimbabwe and therefore all Zimbabweans will now be treated like any other foreign nationals."

The special dispensation was introduced in April 2009, just as Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe was concluding his eight months as caretaker President.

It allowed Zimbabweans to obtain permits which granted them the right to stay in South Africa for six months, and the right to education, employment and healthcare in the country.

But the Cabinet's decision means that Zimbabweans living, working and studying in South Africa will have to apply for the necessary documentation from Zimbabwe and then apply to the South African Department of Home Affairs for work or study permits before the end of the year, or face deportation.

Maseko said there would be an amnesty for Zimbabweans who may have obtained South African identification documents fraudulently on condition that they return the fake IDs to home affairs and apply for legal documents.

Advocacy groups and immigration experts have slammed the Cabinet decision as short-sighted.

Duncan Breen, advocacy officer at the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa, said the organisation "would be extremely concerned about any policy of mass deportation".

He said a permit which allows Zimbabwean migrants more flexibility between the countries would be more ideal.

"Internationally, what would be best would be some form of permit to enable people to go backward and forward. What that does is enable a greater number of people to remain in Zimbabwe," said Breen.

Professor Loren Landau of Wits University's Forced Migration Studies department said the decision was a step backwards and would leave South Africa with a huge deportation bill and again put a strain on police, home affairs officials and deportation centres.

National Treasury figures show that home affairs' immigration services budget shot up from R464-million in the 2005/06 financial year to R1.1-billion in 2008/09, mainly due to "higher costs for detaining and deporting illegal immigrants".

Landau said even if illegal Zimbabwean migrants were to be given passports by their government, many will not qualify for work permits in South Africa anyway.

Braam Hanekom, chairman of People Against Suffering, Suppression, Oppression and Poverty, said he thought the decision to revoke the special dispensation for Zimbabweans was "very dangerous".

"We believe it could lead to [South African] communities being more xenophobic and going on witch-hunts to determine who has documents," said Hanekom.

"Conditions in Zimbabwe are not better. There is a stalemate, not a unity government.

"To send them back home now will be the deaths of many of these migrants," Hanekom said.

Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said her department would inform those who move within Southern African states about the importance of obtaining proper travel and work documents.

Home Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma would brief the media today on the plans.