South Africa November 2006 |
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| SA relaxes visa requirements for Zim, (Citizen, 2006-11-24):-South Africa has temporarily scrapped stringent visa requirements for Zimbabweans, Harare’s Herald newspaper reported on Friday. Its website said this emerged during the second session of the Zimbabwe-South Africa Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security in Harare. South African Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota told the session on Thursday the two countries’ home affairs ministers would meet as a matter of urgency on the issue of visas. “Existing arrangements have been suspended. No more (stringent) visa requirements subject to further consideration by the two governments,” Lekota added. He rejected claims that Zimbabweans were fuelling crime in South Africa. It could not be assumed that Zimbabweans were largely responsible for crime in South Africa. “There is nothing to suggest that Zimbabweans are exclusive to crime problems we have. It’s not the position of the government of South Africa,” the minister said. Lekota also touched on complaints by Zimbabwean migrant workers that they were being arrested and deported each time they sought their pay from South African employers. The media in both countries should help by reporting on the disadvantages and dangers of working illegally in any country. Lekota said it was important for Zimbabweans to have the required documents to work in South Africa for them to avoid the embarrassment of being rounded up and deported. Low wages paid to Zimbabwean workers without proper documents negatively affected the South Africa labour market as many employers now chose to underpay their staff. Lekota said Southern African Development Community countries were working on an integrated economic vision which would see workers in the sub-region enjoying equal rights. “We want a common regime that protects workers’ rights,” he said. | |
South African Migration Project (SAMP) - Queen's University - http://www.queensu.ca/samp |