As the clock ticked towards the deadline for Zimbabweans to apply for papers allowing them to remain in South Africa, hundreds of Zimbabweans jostled for position at the Home Affairs centre in Wynberg yesterday.
A special dispensation granted to Zimbabweans which allowed them to live, work, study and have access to basic health care in South Africa ends on Friday, after which those who do not have asylum papers, approved refugee status or permits face deportation.
With the December 31 deadline looming, Zimbabweans queued at the Wynberg centre from the early hours to submit their documents.
With many in the queue feeling their places were threatened by new arrivals, resourceful Zimbabweans created a list to maintain order.
Braam Hanekom, of refugee activist group Passop, said Home Affairs accepted the system and he had not heard of malpractice or corruption in the compiling of the list.
“It’s a pretty organised system for the time being.”
Hanekom said that it had been a tough day at the centre, with many people “frustrated and tired” after hours of queueing in the heat.
He urged Zimbabweans to keep their places in the queue instead of giving up and returning another day. Home Affairs staff were “doing their best” under trying conditions, Hanekom said.
Many in the queue cited the relaxation of Home Affairs rules as the reason for their late registration. Several weeks ago, Zimbabweans were required to present a passport to register successfully for the right to stay.
But a huge backlog led Home Affairs to accept the receipt of a passport application. Hanekom estimated that there were 5 000 people only three weeks ago who were unable to apply, but said their situation had changed.
Some Zimbabweans explained that work pressure had prevented them from applying earlier.
“Life here is expensive. Just being here (in the queue) I’m losing money,” said Trevor Mtuda, an artist from Harare.
Mtuda, who joined the queue at 4am, said that “political tensions and no development” had given him no choice but to live in South Africa.
Keniah Garanowado, a Harare mother who worked in South Africa and sent money to her children back home, insisted that she would not return to vote until the political situation in Zimbabwe improved.
“Normally I would vote for change as we are suffering. I want to vote if there’s change,” she said.
A salon worker, who gave her name only as Rose, 25, and who said she worked in Khayelitsha, arrived around 3am. She was number 282 on the list.
“I can’t say if I will be allowed to stay because they have not yet verified my receipts,” she said.
Some people in yesterday’s queue were confused about whether they had the correct papers.
Henry Rivbwe complained that he had not been able to get a work permit. “I’m not sure I’ll get it… don’t know exactly what is going on,” he said.
Hanekom said: “There is a lot of confusion, the process is under a lot of pressure.” - Cape Times