Zimbabwe to issue IDs, passports in South Africa

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

The South African government has given Zimbabwe the nod to issue passports, birth certificates and other identity documents for its nationals from that country, according to a top official.

Prior to this arrangement, Zimbabweans resident in South Africa were travelling back home to update their travel and residence documents and permits.

The Zimbabwean deputy Home Affairs minister, Obedingwa Mguni, said the two governments were identifying centres from which the documents would be issued.

He added that negotiations were underway with Botswana to have the same facility set up in that country.

“We have approached the South African government seeking permission to issue passports, birth certificates and National IDs from their country and they have given us the go ahead.

“Our South African counterparts are now in the process of identifying places where we can conduct this exercise. When the locations have been submitted, we will immediately deploy our teams to the neighbouring country,” said Mguni.

The arrangement, said Mguni, was meant to make travel and other documents easily accessible to Zimbabweans.

Millions of Zimbabweans have left their country from 2000 in search of greener pastures and South Africa holds what independent estimates say is the biggest population of Zimbabwe’s economic refugees.

Many Zimbabweans are believed to be living in South Africa and other neighbouring countries without proper documentation, a situation that makes them vulnerable to employers who can offload them at will. Nehanda Radio