Pretoria – Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has announced that his department is ready to process the Zimbabwe Special Permits applications.
From the 1st of October, qualifying Zimbabweans can apply for new permits that would expire in December 2017.
Minister Gigaba said offices have been established throughout the country to process the applications.
Addressing the media in Pretoria on Thursday, Minister Gigaba said applications can be made online.
“As the Department of Home Affairs, we will begin accepting applications via the website for the ZSP on October 1.
“We, along with our application processing partner VFS, have completed all the necessary preparations to process all prospective applications for the ZSP,” he said.
He explained that the application process will be done according to the applicant’s date of birth.
Ten centres have been established for the processing of the ZSP and they are in Gauteng (Midrand), Western Cape (Cape Town), Limpopo (Polokwane) and Kwazulu-Natal (Durban).
Others are in George, Port Elizabeth, Kimberley, Bloemfontein, Nelspruit and Rustenburg.
“Applicants will be notified and called according to their date of birth,” he said.
The minister said 120 officials from the department will be assisting applicants with their applications.
With regard to the application fee, Minister Gigaba said that will be announced after finalising the costs associated with the administration of the ZSP.
According to the department, about 245 000 applicants were issued with the new permits since its inception in 2009.
The Dispensation of Zimbabweans Project will expire on the 31st of December 2014.
One of the requirements when one applies for the Zimbabwe Special Permit is a clear criminal record, those with criminal records, will not be approved.
Zimbabweans can log their applications via the website on: http://www.vfsglobal.com/zsp/southafrica. – SAnews.gov.za
