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Stop using Temporary Travel Documents

 
Zimbabwe’s Minister of Home Affairs, Kembo Mohadi, has urged temporary travel document (TTD) holders to stop travelling to South Africa using the documents until the issue was resolved. Mohadi said soon after the Zimbabwean government had issued the TTDs, the document was subsequently circulated to the entire SADC region. “When we issued this document, we circulated the specimen in the region and therefore we are equally shocked about this latest development, which is now a diplomatic issue being handled by our Department of Foreign Affairs,” he said. “However, in the meantime, we are saying those using TTDs to travel should put on hold their trips to South Africa until it has been resolved to avoid being embarrassed at the border.” He also urged those stranded at the Beit Bridge Border Post to return to their respective homes. Scores of Zimbabwean travelers using the TTDs were left stranded at the Beit Bridge Border Post last week after they were turned away by the South African Home Affairs officials. Some travelers had to spend nights sleeping in the open while others claimed they had no money to travel back to their respective homes after having been dumped at the border by cross-border buses. The affected travellers, some from as far as Bulawayo, Harare, Gweru and Mutare, also expressed dismay over the manner in which the South African immigration officials handled them. Some alleged that they were harassed by the South African police. When Mirror visited the border post, some of the stranded travellers could be seen loitering in the local immigration hall while others were sleeping under the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority car parking shade. The local regional immigration manager in charge of Beit Bridge Border Post, Mr Charles Gwede, said they had since suspended stamping TTDs “until the issue is addressed by the two governments. We have tried to negotiate with our South African counterparts, but to no avail. We are now waiting for the relevant authorities to address the issue,” he said. South African Home Affairs officials are refusing to accept the TTDs, arguing that they did not receive a specimen of the new document, so that they could scrutinize it first in line with the immigration requirement. The TTD was introduced by the Zimbabwe Home Affairs department on April 14 to replace the Emergency Travel Documents.

News - Date: 07 May 2010

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Mashudu Netsianda

Mashudu Netsianda is our correspondent in Beit Bridge, Zimbabwe. He joined us in 2006, writing both local and international stories. He had worked for several Zimbabwean publications, as well as the Times of Swaziland. Mashudu received his training at the School of Mass Communication in Harare.

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