Pretoria - A special team is to be put in place to assist the Department of Home Affairs in documenting Zimbabweans in the country.
Home Affairs said the additional support was needed so that Zimbabweans could meet the end of year deadline. Come 31 December, those who are unregistered, will be deported.
The task team includes Zimbabwe's opposition party, MDC and several non-governmental organizations. They will help the South African government with the documentation process.
Cabinet decided last month to end a special dispensation policy which allowed Zimbabweans to stay in the country without a legal resident's permit. The decision was taken following agreement between Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and her Zimbabwean counterparts.
Government granted amnesty to Zimbabweans who obtained South African identification documents fraudulently, on condition that such documents are returned to the Home Affairs Department immediately.
Employers or education institutions who have undocumented Zimbabweans in their organizations will also not be punished.
The department's Director-General, Mkuseli Apleni, said since the registration process started on Monday, thousands of Zimbabweans have come forward. Applicants were issued with valid travel documents, study and work permits.
The Zimbabwean Embassy and Consulate in South Africa will also help by giving its citizens living in South Africa valid travel documents.
A call centre has also been put in place to help affected Zimbabweans. Those who want more information about registration can call 0800 864 488 or 0800 601 190.
The decision to document Zimbabweans was part of a broader plan by the department to document all foreigners who have not been documented before.
