He was addressing the media after Cabinet’s last ordinary meeting for the year.

Cabinet was pleased that thousands of Zimbabweans had answered government’s call to get their documentation in order. 

Over 70 000 Zimbabweans have applied for South African study, work and business permits, while only a few thousand have come forward to surrender fraudulently obtained passports, identity documents and permits.

South Africa has set up a stakeholder forum in the hopes of getting more Zimbabweans to submit fraudulent documentation.

The Zimbabwean government is said to have produced over 30 000 passports so far for its citizens living in South Africa.

Chabane said Zimbabweans who have submitted their applications but have not yet received the new documents had nothing to worry about, as their information was already in the system.

“All those who have not yet applied for legal documents are urged to do so before the deadline expires to avoid any inconvenience in the New Year,” he said. - BuaNews