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(TALKZIMBABWE) S.Africa scraps visas for Zimbabweans

S.Africa scraps visas for Zimbabweans
Floyd Nkomo
Tue, 05 May 2009 03:07:00 +0000

ZIMBABWEANS travelling to South Africa are no longer required to have visas according to a statement released by South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula on Sunday.

According to the South African Press Association (Sapa), Minister Mapisa-Nqakula said Zimbabweans no longer need to apply and pay for visas before travelling to South Africa, but will have to apply for a free 90-day visitor’s permit at the border.

She said Zimbabwean citizens were also allowed apply to do casual work while in South Africa.

Minister Mapisa-Nqakula made the announcement in the presence of her two Zimbabwean counterparts, Co-Home Affairs Ministers Kembo Mohadi and Giles Mutsekwa, according to Sapa.

Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa, Simon Khaya-Moyo, welcomed the development.

"The South African government has scrapped visa requirements on Zimbabweans intending to travel to the country.

"We are very grateful for this kind gesture, and we hope that our people will now be able to visit their relatives in South Africa and we will obviously not want to disturb the agreement," he said.

South African officials believe many of the 8 000 or so Zimbabweans who apply daily for asylum status would now opt for the visitor’s permit.

A senior immigration officer in Harare yesterday confirmed that the ministers and Principal Chief Immigration Officer Clemence Masango travelled to South Africa over the weekend to conclude the agreement.

"They travelled to South Africa, but I am not quite sure about the results. They are supposed to return tonight (last night)," he said.

In February last year, South Africa relaxed some of the stringent visa requirements for Zimbabweans intending to travel to that country following talks between the two governments.

According to the authorities, the invitation letters or evidence of the host’s address in South Africa were no longer a requirement when applying for a permit.

The security deposit was required only in respect of persons with a history of "overstaying" in South Africa or whose bona fides were questionable.

Applicants for a visitor’s visa were now required to submit a valid passport, one passport-size photograph and proof of funds in the form of traveller’s cheques, credit cards or foreign bank statements that showed balance of at least R2 000.

The scrapping of these stringent visa requirements was the culmination of talks between Zimbabwe and South Africa under the Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security that began in November 2007.

The relaxing of the visa requirement was the first step towards the eventual removal of the visa.

South Africa had recently announced that it would soon scrap the visa and grant Zimbabweans permits to work in that country.

Labels: NOSIVIWE MAPISA-NQAKULA, SOUTH AFRICA, VISAS, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 3:14 PM