‘We are suffering’: Zimbabweans in SA march against hike in passport prices

By TimesLive

SOUTH AFRICA: Zimbabweans living in South Africa say the hike in the price of Zimbabwean passports is contributing to more of them being illegally in the country.

On Tuesday, a group of Zimbabweans and some South Africans marched to the Zimbabwean embassy in Hatfield, Pretoria, to demand a standard price for passports that they say should be in line with other African countries.

The group also expressed concern about the state of Zimbabwe and called for the resignation of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

A Zimbabwean living in Hillbrow who did not want to be named said the price hike is contributing to many Zimbabweans living illegally in South Africa.

The 30-year-old, who has been in the country about 10 years, said he lost his passport after being robbed last year and cannot afford a new one.

“I am not working so don’t have R5,000 for a passport. Here in South Africa if you don’t have a permit, you won’t work, so I don’t know what I can do. Going back home is also expensive. At least if they dropped that price to $100, it would be better. Working is hard if you do not have the proper documents. We can’t survive and maybe we will turn into criminals.

“It’s like I am illegal because I don’t have a passport. I don’t feel comfortable, I am scared and when I see the police I feel like I should run away because I don’t have documents.”

He said he survives through odd jobs.

“I can’t find a proper job because I don’t have a qualification or proper documents, I don’t have anything. The amount that I would use to travel home is the same as a new passport, R5,000,” he said.

Another Zimbabwean, Nonhlanhla Ndlovu, said the price hike was too much.

In February 2018, Ndlovu came to SA without a passport by crossing the Limpopo River, in hopes of getting a job.

The 25-year-old said she hasn’t been able to get a passport because she doesn’t have any money. For about five years she has been able to evade arrest by dodging the police.

“When I see them, I take another route and hide. I don’t know how I will get a passport, I might die first. I am not working fulltime, I depend on odd jobs,” she said.

She fears that she will be arrested.

Mandi Chiwashira, convener of Zimbabwean citizens living in South Africa, has called for Mnangwangwa to step down, saying he had failed citizens.

“We are here because the situation in Zimbabwe is not good, we are crying also here in South Africa where we are just surviving with God’s mercy. Our passport is R5,000, what is so special about it?”

Chiwashira said that price was abuse.

“From $50 dollars last year, I went to get a passport. It was $120, and this year they hiked the price to $250,  which is close to R5,000. Where are we going to get that money,” she said.

Chiwashira said getting a passport in Zimbabwe cost the same so to go there to get one would involve travel costs as well.

“A passport should be $20; they are just stealing this money. The conditions for Zimbabweans living here in South Africa is not safe without passports. When we see police we run away, we are scared to be out, we are scared even to do business.

“We are suffering, we can’t even get jobs,” she said.

A spokesperson for Zimbabwean citizens in South Africa, Thapshienda Mugore, said the march was to express concern about the hikes in the passport fees, the illegitimacy crisis in Zimbabwe and the current abduction and torture of citizens in Zimbabwe who oppose the government.

“We don’t have a government; there is no legitimate government in Zimbabwe. All the Zimbabweans here are not here by choice; they are here because of aggravating situations back home.

Mugore said the cost of passports in the Sadc region should be standardised.

He said Zimbabweans are ready to take on the Zimbabwean government head-on.

The EFF’s Kagiso Nkuna pledged solidarity with Zimbabweans.

“We know that the people of Zimbabwe are facing difficulties and are under oppression. We, EFF, as a pan-Africanist organisation need to stand in solidarity with the Zimbabwean people in this tough time.”

“We are saying that an ordinary person or a person who sells broomsticks cannot afford R5,000. Look at the state of the economy, look at the rent, look at the Zimbabwean currency.

“It is very weak, and for you to say a poor person must purchase a passport for R5,000 while they cannot afford mealiemeal daily is an insult to that person and their dignity; it is reducing the African people while the white minority can come into this country and do whatever they want and even have double passports and double identifications but there are no consequences to them.

“Why must Zimbabweans not afford a mere passport and stay in South Africa so that they can afford to participate in economic activities?” Nkuna asked.

He agreed that the price hike would contribute to more Zimbabweans becoming illegal in South Africa.