By Moses Ziyambi
Zimbabweans working in South Africa have accused the country’s Department of Home Affairs of delaying the release of permits applied under the Zimbabwe Special Permits (ZSP) dispensation, saying such delays are affecting the daily lives of applicants.
In an telephone interview recently ZSP Permits Forum Director of Projects, Gift Eglone said his organisation had received numerous complaints of applicants who were called to collect their permits long after their issue dates.
“We are trying to engage the Department of Home Affairs to get at the bottom of the matter. We think there is no good reason to explain why permits bearing issue dates of as long back as November last year are only being issued now.
“People are being inconvenienced in their everyday lives due to hassles of not having their permits timely,” said Eglone.
The ZSP programme was launched in October 2014 to replace the Zimbabwe Dispensation Permit (DZP) launched in 2010 but many Zimbabweans claim they have been suspended at work or had their bank accounts frozen pending the release of the new permits.
However, the permits that are being issued now were applied for in October 2014 and they bear issue dates of November.
The government has however defended the time frame, saying administrative protocols take up the time between the print and issuance dates.
“The difference in date of print and date of issuance is informed by administrative processes from when the Visa is printed to when it is collected. These include administrative processes by VFS,” said Home Affairs Spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete in an email to Tell Zimbabwe.
The Department of Home Affairs has made arrangements with financial institutions through SABRIC (South African Banking Risk Information Centre) to avoid unsettling the daily lives of affected Zimbabweans. While affected Zimbabweans await their Visas they should be allowed to continue working, conducting business, studying, financially transacting and receiving medical treatment,” he said
The Department of Home Affairs while adjudicating the permits applications, has outsourced the administrative processes to VFS Global, a worldwide outsourcing and technology services specialist for diplomatic missions and governments.
Meanwhile, those who have not yet booked an appointment with VFS for interviews have been given until the 31st of March to do so or risk losing their right to the permit if they miss the deadline.local
