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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

The Zimbabwe Embassy in South Africa has reviewed operations at the Johannesburg consulate ad restored services in line with the new lockdown regulations announced by authorities in that country recently.

In a public notice today, the consul-general to Johannesburg Mrs Melody Chaurura said they will now assist 600 people per day after having suspended services for births, and national identification documents in January this year.

“The first priority will be serving those clients whose appointments were deferred between January 4 and March 26. All clients who were affected by the lockdown will be advised of the revised appointment dates electronically.

“We will reopen for new appointments upon completion of this category and the public will be notified accordingly,” said the Consul General.

She said those seeking Temporary Travel Documents and Passports do not need to make bookings but will be assisted on a first come first serve basis between 0900 hours and 1130 hours during weekdays.

Mrs Chaurura said the processing of documents for bodies to be repatriated to Zimbabwe will strictly be processed electronically.

The Zimbabwe Community in South Africa spokesperson Mr Bongani Mkwananzi said, “We applaud the resumption of such services considering that most people’s passports will expire this year when ZEP permits expire in December.

“It’s important that people make bookings and submit their forms timely so that they are ready if any special permit dispensation should be extended by the Department of Home Affairs,” he said.