ZIMBABWEANS living in South Africa have initiated a petition to challenge their government to reverse the recent hike in passport fees for citizens staying in the neighbouring country.
The citizens, through their representative organisation, the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa, have expressed concern that the passports have become inaccessible to the ordinary people.
The Zimbabwean embassy in South Africa recently announced that the price of a passport would increase from R3 000 to about R4 540.
However, the Zimbabweans on Tuesday this week staged a demonstration at the Zimbabwean consulate in Johannesburg and the embassy in Pretoria demanding the reversal of the passport fees hike.
In the online petition initiated on July 30, the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa noted that the hiked fees are exorbitant and unaffordable for them.
Their goal was to collect more than two million signatures.
“As the Zimbabwe community living in South Africa, we are feeling the weight of the exorbitant fee our home government is charging for passports. A massive sum of US$250 per passport is being extorted from us,” the online petition read.
“This fee is far beyond what many Zimbabwean nationals in South Africa can afford, considering the average earnings of our community.”
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The petition noted that the increase is an overwhelming burden that prevents citizens from securing the legal document which is part and parcel of their fundamental human rights.
“We believe everyone, regardless of their economic conditions, has a right to their own nationality.
“We call upon the Zimbabwean government to reassess these fees and reduce them to a fair amount.
“We need your support to make this change happen. Please, sign the petition.”
Meanwhile, former Operation Dudula commander Nhlanhla Lux on Tuesday this week also denounced the passport fees hike.
He said it was retrogressive to the aspirations of South Africans who agitate for every migrant to be in the neighbouring country legally.
“I am happy that Zimbabweans are marching in South Africa because if you look at what they are marching for, they are marching against the hike of their passport price.
“They are saying passports cannot be that expensive, meaning a document that makes them legal, that aid and support our agenda for many years that, no let us all be documented and become legal,” Lux said.
“The process of documentation is now expensive and they are taking the price higher.
“We all know it is easy to cross the river from Zimbabwe into South Africa, but those that still respect the law are saying that ‘can it be affordable for us to have these passports so that we can be documented and be in line with the laws of both Zimbabwe and South Africa’.”
He called on South African citizens to support Zimbabweans.
“In a nutshell, I support the march by the Zimbabweans and say march to your embassy.
“March to the relevant officials to register your issues and if you need South Africans support my hand is up.”
