PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PASSOP is happy with the high percentage of Zimbabwean ‘ZDP’ permits approved and the Department of Home Affairs undertaking to extend this special dispensation to other SADC countries
We are content that the majority of work (study and business) permits for Zimbabweans have been approved by the South African Department of Home Affairs (DHA). The DHA announced last week that of the 275,762 applications, 255,282 had been approved and only 20,480 applications were “still to be finalized”.
Over the past year PASSOP has had monitors at one of the offices where applicants collect their permits and we are pleased with the low rejection rates that we have observed. The project was met with much suspicion from Zimbabweans and civil society alike, many of whom were concerned that a large number of permit applications would be rejected. We are pleased that the DHA seems to have proved the skeptics of this process wrong.
However, we hope that all of the approved permits will now be expeditiously issued, as it has been over a year since applications were made – a delay that has adversely affected many applicants.
Finally, we welcome the DHA’s undertaking to identify the next SADC country whose Diaspora will be given an opportunity to benefit from a “special dispensation” documentation project. We hope that they will indeed allow the Diaspora from all other SADC countries to eventually benefit from this progressive policy.
For comment, please contact: Anthony Muteti (0843510388) or Braam Hanekom (0843191764).
One reply on “Press Release: PASSOP pleased with low rejection rate of ZDP permits”
I agree 100% it would be a wonderful thing indeed for DHA to give immigrants from other neighbouring countries a similar opportunity especially as I have also benefited from this Great Deed undertaken by Home Affairs. Much thanks to the Honourable Minister, Nkosazana Zuma, the Government, PASSOP & People of South Africa:-)