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From: as on 27 Apr 2010 14:12
Government raked in millions for rejected travel document

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by Mxolisi Ncube Monday, 26 April 2010 15:53

JOHANNESBURG - The Zimbabwean Consulate here has raked fleeced its
South African-based citizens of over R10 million since it began
issuing them with Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) mid last year.

Most of the documents, which were valid for six months and were meant
to be multiple-entries, were torn at the border by South African
immigration authorities, who argued that an ETD issued in South
Africa, should only be used to travel to Zimbabwe and not to come
back.

The Zimbabwean Consulate began issuing ETDs to the country's exiles
in May 2009, following the removal of stringent visa requirements on
Zimbabwean travellers by the South African government, which
simultaneously came with the announcement that the same nationals
would also be issued with a Special Dispensation Permit.

The permit, which would allow Zimbabweans to live and work in South
Africa for six months, has been put on hold since then, as the host
government says that it is still formulating ways of its
implementation.

Soon after the announcement, the Zimbabwean Consulate rushed with a
circular that advised undocumented Zimbabweans in the neighbouring
country to apply for ETDs, which it said would be used to apply for
the special permit.

An officer at the Consulate this week told ***The Zimbabwean*** that
more than 20 000 applications had been received, in which each of the
exiles paid R450 to apply for the ETDs, while an extra R50 paid for
passport-sized photographs that accompany the application forms.

This effectively means that the Consulate received at least R9
million from the applicants, while an additional total of R1 million
was spent on photographs.

Some of the ETD bearers who spoke to ***The Zimbabwean*** said that
they no longer had the ETDs, after they were either torn at the
Beitbridge border post or they did not renew them when they expired.

This also comes at a time when the new travelling emergency document,
launched by government, a few weeks ago is being rejected by South
African authorities.

"That was daylight robbery of the poor and vulnerable Zimbabweans and
someone at the Consulate should answer for it," fumed one Zimbabwean
who had her ETD torn in January, while she was returning from the
Christmas holidays.

"We lost our hard earned money to be issued with useless papers worth
nothing and were embarrassed at the border when those so-called ETDs
were torn.

"An investigation should be carried out to find out who benefited
from the money that we were robbed of. Zanu (PF) cannot partake in
this daylight robbery and expect us to keep quiet. They are the ones
who caused our suffering in foreign lands and now they are following
us here and robbing us."

The Consulate official who spoke to our correspondent said that,
following the tearing of ETDs on the border, the numbers of people
either applying or renewing them were fast declining.

"We receive a few people these days because of the situation at the
border and the ETDs we are issuing are now valid for 21 days, which
are also single entries," said the official.

A South African Home Affairs source, who also spoke on condition of
anonymity, said that the documents were torn because the Zimbabwean
Consulate issued them without consultation.

"The Zimbabwean Consulate can only issue ETDs to those who lost them
while being here, having entered legally, so that they do not have an
inconvenience to return home and re-apply for their passports," said
the official.

"Issuing illegal immigrants with ETDs while they were already here
was unprocedural because once someone is here illegally, their stay
cannot only be formalised by the host government through asylum
permits."

The official also dismissed the notion that that the ETDs were meant
for the Special Dispensation Permit.

"People will only have to prove that they are Zimbabweans to get the
permit and did not need the ETDs."

No comment could be obtained from the Zimbabwean Consulate, as this
reporter was told to call him on his landline, but was always told
that he was out of office.

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