South Africa to Announce Work Permit Processes for Zimbabweans

WASHINGTON —  South African authorities say the government will soon announce modalities of processing expiring work permits for Zimbabweans working in that country.

Home Affairs spokesman David Hlabane told VOA Studio 7 the new minister is expected to spell out the work permit application process.

“The Minister of Home Affairs is still to announce what is going to happen particularly with regards to the process around the re-application for the special permits for Zimbabwean nationals in South Africa,” said Hlabane.

Hlabane dismissed as untrue reports that Zimbabweans with permits expiring in December will have to go back home to re-apply for new permits.

“All these reports are unfounded, I must put that very categorically. There is no truth or grain of truth in those reports,” he said.

Interview With David Hlabane

Regis Ngwerume, a Zimbabwean based in South Africa, said there is a lot of confusion over the processing of work permits.

“At one stage we heard news from home that the South African government will start requiring visas from us once again. All this is done by our country men and women and this is too misleading,” said Ngwerume.

Inteview With Regis Ngwerume

Director Daniel Muzenda of the Zimbabwe Migrants Association, concurred, saying the situation is unclear even though South African authorities have been trying to clarify the issue.

Interview With Daniel Muzenda

More than 200,000 Zimbabweans were issued with permits in the 2009 special dispension process.

Meanwhile, a new South African cabinet was expected to be sworn this weekend following recent elections, which were won by the African National Congress.