Public Outcry as Zimbabwean Passport Fees Skyrocket in South Africa

The Zimbabwean community in South Africa has voiced robust opposition following a sudden spike in passport fees declared by the Zimbabwean consulate in Johannesburg. A petition, rapidly accruing signatures, demands a governmental reassessment of the dramatic price increase - from 170 to 250 US dollars - imposed on passport services. This ruling, effective 29 July 2024, categorizes all passport applications as express/emergency, thus incurring higher charges.

Over 1,000 aggrieved Zimbabweans have signed the appeal, initiated on 30 July, to confront what they view as an exorbitant leap in prices. The hike represents nearly a 50% surge, rendering the procurement of legal documentation unaffordable for a significant portion of the Zimbabwean diaspora, many of whom, working in low-income jobs, are already straining to meet basic living costs.

The Zimbabwe Community in South Africa, spearheading the campaign, highlights the disproportionate financial burden the new fees place on their community, undermining their human rights, particularly the right to nationality. As of the morning of 2 August, the petition had surpassed 1,100 signatures.

Ngqabutho Mabhena, chairperson of the community, criticized the government's approach to utilizing passport issuance as a revenue-generating measure. Moreover, a Cape Town-based Zimbabwean facing passport renewal challenges underlined the personal economic impact, citing the necessity to feed a family and fulfill rental obligations.

In Gqeberha, the frustration echoes among informal traders, with accusations of governmental indifference toward the hardships suffered by Zimbabweans abroad due to poor national governance. Chris Mapingure, head of the Zimbabwe Migrants Support Network, urged the Zimbabwe government to consider the plight of low-income earners in South Africa, many of whom might end up undocumented due to inability to shoulder the new costs.

Zimbabwe's ambassador to South Africa, David Hamadziripi, responding to the upheaval, attributed the fee increase to a distinction between the standard and the express/emergency passport - the latter being the category assigned to all applications originating from South Africa. Acknowledging the distress expressed by expatriates, Hamadziripi stated that the embassy and consulates are in communication with the Zimbabwean government, conveying the diaspora's concerns and seeking to address the contentious policy implications.