ZIMBABWEANS say they are tired of standing in long queues but will do so if it means they will be free of police harassment.
At around 11.30pm on Wednesday, about 300 Zimbabwean nationals lined up in male and female queues on Leyds and Loveday streets in Braamfontein, waiting to apply for passports from a temporary consulate office when it opens at 8am.
During the day the queues grow to about 600 people and stretch around Cosatu House and on to Harrison Street.
"We have been told it will take about two weeks to issue the passports," Daniel Mudzingwa said.
"When I get my passport I will have to go to Home Affairs in Harrison Street to apply for a work permit," he said.
He said he was employed at a woodwork workshop.
Mudzingwa, who joined the queue at about 5am on Tuesday, told Sowetan that he had been living in South Africa since 1996 without any Zimbabwean documents.
"I bought an ID book from someone who looked like me. That person just had to go to Home Affairs and report his ID missing and apply for a new one," he said.
He said police had always accepted his ID as genuine but he had been scared to enter a Home Affairs office.
About 500 metres down the road there was a similar number of people at Home Affairs. But fortunately for those close to the front of the queue, the office continued processing people deep into the night.
"I came here at 5 this morning to apply for a business permit," Breeze Charamba said just before midnight. He said he owned a small supermarket in the CBD.
"I gave them my tax number, my business registration number and passport number and was given a number and told to return on Monday with all the relevant documentation when my number is called," Charamba said.
Many people said their employers told them to take two days off because "permits are now a must-have".
Meanwhile, the situation at the Central Methodist Church was quiet after 10.30pm, with everyone off the streets and quiet inside the church. A few security personnel stood guard at the gate.
The Zimbabwe consulate was unavailable for comment late yesterday.
Earlier this week, Home Affairs had reportedly received 10287 applications for work, study or business permits.
The department had issued 2 126 permits and rejected 174 applications.
Zimbabweans queue up daily for a better life in SA
ZIMBABWEANS say they are tired of standing in long queues but will do so if it means they will be free of police harassment.
At around 11.30pm on Wednesday, about 300 Zimbabwean nationals lined up in male and female queues on Leyds and Loveday streets in Braamfontein, waiting to apply for passports from a temporary consulate office when it opens at 8am.
During the day the queues grow to about 600 people and stretch around Cosatu House and on to Harrison Street.
"We have been told it will take about two weeks to issue the passports," Daniel Mudzingwa said.
"When I get my passport I will have to go to Home Affairs in Harrison Street to apply for a work permit," he said.
He said he was employed at a woodwork workshop.
Mudzingwa, who joined the queue at about 5am on Tuesday, told Sowetan that he had been living in South Africa since 1996 without any Zimbabwean documents.
"I bought an ID book from someone who looked like me. That person just had to go to Home Affairs and report his ID missing and apply for a new one," he said.
He said police had always accepted his ID as genuine but he had been scared to enter a Home Affairs office.
About 500 metres down the road there was a similar number of people at Home Affairs. But fortunately for those close to the front of the queue, the office continued processing people deep into the night.
"I came here at 5 this morning to apply for a business permit," Breeze Charamba said just before midnight. He said he owned a small supermarket in the CBD.
"I gave them my tax number, my business registration number and passport number and was given a number and told to return on Monday with all the relevant documentation when my number is called," Charamba said.
Many people said their employers told them to take two days off because "permits are now a must-have".
Meanwhile, the situation at the Central Methodist Church was quiet after 10.30pm, with everyone off the streets and quiet inside the church. A few security personnel stood guard at the gate.
The Zimbabwe consulate was unavailable for comment late yesterday.
Earlier this week, Home Affairs had reportedly received 10287 applications for work, study or business permits.
The department had issued 2 126 permits and rejected 174 applications.
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