D-day for Zim refugees

Zimbabweans came out in large numbers to apply for documentation to make their stay in South Africa legal. Illegal Zimbabweans were given a deadline until 31 December 2010 to apply for documents to legalise their stay in their country. Home Affairs offices across the country were open between 8am and 5pm during the days leading up to the deadline. In April last year Pretoria announced a moratorium on the deportation of Zimbabweans and granted them a special dispensation for one year so that they could get documents from Zimbabwean officials based in South Africa. Photo: Independent Newspapers

Zimbabweans came out in large numbers to apply for documentation to make their stay in South Africa legal. Illegal Zimbabweans were given a deadline until 31 December 2010 to apply for documents to legalise their stay in their country. Home Affairs offices across the country were open between 8am and 5pm during the days leading up to the deadline. In April last year Pretoria announced a moratorium on the deportation of Zimbabweans and granted them a special dispensation for one year so that they could get documents from Zimbabwean officials based in South Africa. Photo: Independent Newspapers

Zimbabweans came out in large numbers to apply for documentation to make their stay in South Africa legal. Illegal Zimbabweans were given a deadline until 31 December 2010 to apply for documents to legalise their stay in their country. Home Affairs offices across the country were open between 8am and 5pm during the days leading up to the deadline. In April last year Pretoria announced a moratorium on the deportation of Zimbabweans and granted them a special dispensation for one year so that they could get documents from Zimbabwean officials based in South Africa. Photo: Independent Newspapers

Zimbabweans came out in large numbers to apply for documentation to make their stay in South Africa legal. Illegal Zimbabweans were given a deadline until 31 December 2010 to apply for documents to legalise their stay in their country. Home Affairs offices across the country were open between 8am and 5pm during the days leading up to the deadline. In April last year Pretoria announced a moratorium on the deportation of Zimbabweans and granted them a special dispensation for one year so that they could get documents from Zimbabwean officials based in South Africa. Photo: Itumeleng English, The Star

The department of home affairs' moratorium on the deportation of Zimbabweans has been extended to August 1 - but Lawyers for Human Rights has urged the department to make sure SAPS officers know that. Photo: Itumeleng English

Zimbabweans came out in large numbers to apply for documentation to make their stay in South Africa legal. Illegal Zimbabweans were given a deadline until 31 December 2010 to apply for documents to legalise their stay in their country. Home Affairs offices across the country were open between 8am and 5pm during the days leading up to the deadline. In April last year Pretoria announced a moratorium on the deportation of Zimbabweans and granted them a special dispensation for one year so that they could get documents from Zimbabwean officials based in South Africa. Photo: Itumeleng English, The Star

Zimbabweans came out in large numbers to apply for documentation to make their stay in South Africa legal. Illegal Zimbabweans were given a deadline until 31 December 2010 to apply for documents to legalise their stay in their country. Home Affairs offices across the country were open between 8am and 5pm during the days leading up to the deadline. In April last year Pretoria announced a moratorium on the deportation of Zimbabweans and granted them a special dispensation for one year so that they could get documents from Zimbabwean officials based in South Africa. Photo: Itumeleng English, The Star

More than 275 000 Zimbabweans applied to home affairs to legalise their stay in South Africa, according to the department. Photo: Neil Baynes, The Star

Zimbabweans came out in large numbers to apply for documentation to make their stay in South Africa legal. Illegal Zimbabweans were given a deadline until 31 December 2010 to apply for documents to legalise their stay in their country. Home Affairs offices across the country were open between 8am and 5pm during the days leading up to the deadline. In April last year Pretoria announced a moratorium on the deportation of Zimbabweans and granted them a special dispensation for one year so that they could get documents from Zimbabwean officials based in South Africa. Photo: Independent Newspapers