New ZDP Assistance Project launched

PASSOP will monitor the adjudication and appeals processes of the remainder of the Zimbabwean Dispensation Project (ZDP) and provide assistance and advice to applicants whose applications were initially rejected.

The Department of Home Affairs’ ZDP, which intended to regularize the stay of and document as many of the Zimbabweans eligible to work in South Africa as possible, is intended to be completed in July. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) received over 275,000 applications for temporary residence permits through the ZDP between October and December last year. While roughly 150,000 permits have already been approved, according to the DHA, over 120,000 have now been found to be incomplete and applicants will need to submit missing documents and/or fingerprints.

The aim of this project is to hence to ensure that as many of these 120,000 Zimbabweans are given a given a fair chance to appeal, and that the adjudication processes are transparent and consistent across the country.

The reason why so many of the applications are incomplete in the first place is because: 1) the lifespan of the ZDP was too short, with 275,000 applicants rushing to apply in the just three months given; 2) the rules and regulations of the ZDP were constantly changed; and 3) the Zimbabwean Consulate have lacked transparency, been inconsistent and downright ineffective in the delivery of the essential passports. Hence, the majority of incomplete applications are not the fault of the Zimbabwean applicants.

The four key objectives of the project are the following:

1) -Monitoring the adjudication process to ensure that the process is transparent, fair and accountable;

2) -Advising and assisting rejected applicants and informing them about their available options;

3) -Assisting eligible applicants in the appeals process through consultation and advice, helping to draft and print letters of appeal, and following up with employers about providing the necessary documents; and

4) -Compiling a monitoring report that assesses the overall quality of the appeals and adjudication processes of the ZDP and recommends a list of ‘lessons learned’ for similar projects in the future.

We will continue to work constructively with the DHA, both in this province and nationally, to ensure that the ZDP is concluded in a fair manner.

Over the past few weeks and months, PASSOP has already been assisting rejected applicants in the appeals process. Through the resources from this ZDP Appeals Monitoring Project, PASSOP has hired two new staff members specifically to provide support to rejected applicants. In this way, we will be able to provide many more rejected applicants with assistance and guidance in the adjudication processes and in appealing their rejections.

If you would like further information about the ZDP Appeals Monitoring Project or if your application for the ZDP has been denied and you need assistance in the appeals process, please contact PASSOP at office@passop.co.za or call us at 021 820 4664.