This comes after the department announced all Zimbabwean immigrants must apply for relevant documents and register their status in the country as the special dispensation allowing Zimbabweans crossing into South Africa the right to live, work, attend education facilities and access basic health care for a period of six months was coming to an end.

This special dispensation is to come to an end on 31 December.

She said the process was aimed at ensuring that Zimbabweans comply with South Africa’s immigration laws, lead normal lives while ending their misery of living under constant fear of deportation. 

The process will be facilitated by 240 Home Affairs officials who have been deployed to 46 regional offices across the country. 

“We reiterate our commitment to extending amnesty to all those who possess fraudulent South African identity documents on condition they hand them back to Home Affairs regional offices in the country,” said Minister Dlamini Zuma.

She called on Zimbabwean nationals to approach their Embassy in Pretoria and consulate in Johannesburg to declare their presence and acquire valid travel documents to enable the South African government to issue them with study, work or business permits.

“We are convinced that the majority of Zimbabwean nationals resident in South Africa wish to comply with South Africa’s immigration laws and would want to take up the government offer arrived at through bilateral agreement with the Zimbabwean government, to lead normal lives in the country,” she said. –BuaNews