South African Correspondent<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zimbabweans living in South Africa will now have to pay significantly higher fees to acquire passports, with the government citing “emergency” processing as the reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The ministry of home affairs has directed that all e-passport applications that are processed at the consulate in Johannesburg shall be handled as express\/emergency applications,” said Zimbabwe’s Consul General Eria Phiri in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This means that Zimbabweans in South Africa will have to pay US$250 (about R4,550) plus a US$20 (R364) application fee, compared to the US$150 fee for an ordinary passport in Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“This is a huge burden on Zimbabweans living in South Africa,” said one Zimbabwean migrant, who wished to remain anonymous. “We are already struggling to make ends meet, and now we have to pay such a high fee for a passport.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The decision has sparked outrage among Zimbabweans, who are already facing challenges in South Africa, including a new deportation campaign launched by Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We urge foreign nationals to formalise their stay in the country,” said Schreiber. “But making it difficult for them to get passports is not the solution.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zimbabwe’s partnership with Garsu Pasaulis, a Lithuania-registered company, to produce passports has also raised concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The company was granted the contract without a public tender, and ministers refuse to say what share the company collects from each printed passport,” said a source. “It’s a lucrative deal for the company, but a burden for Zimbabweans.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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