The Department of Home Affairs is making headway in the Zimbabwe documentation process, having so far adjudicated more than 263 000 of the applications it received.

The department received 275 762 applications from Zimbabwean nationals, who applied to have their stay in South Africa regularised, when the application process closed in December last year.

“We are pleased to report that we have adjudicated a total of 263 141. We are still to adjudicate 12 621 applications. We have, however, only issued 133 331. We are still to issue 142 431 permits,” Jacob Mamabolo, head of the Zimbabwe Documentation Project, said on Thursday.

Fingerprints and supporting documents were not taken from the applicants when the process closed in December 2010, he noted.

The department was now in the process of sending SMSes to applicants asking them to submit their fingerprints and outstanding documents.

As part of the department’s efforts to mobilise Zimbabwean nationals to respond to the SMSes and provide the necessary information, it will meet with the Zimbabwean stakeholder forum on Monday, Mamabolo said.

At the meeting, the department will update the forum on the progress so far and also ask for their help in encouraging Zimbabwean nationals to respond to the SMSes.

The department is also in contact with the Zimbabwean embassy and consulate to ensure that the issuing of the necessary travel documents is fast tracked for those who need them for their applications, he added.

While the department was doing all that it could to meet its obligations to document Zimbabweans living in South Africa, it could only succeed if it has full support of all applicants, Mamabolo said.

The department was doing everything in its power to ensure that the process is completed within the deadlines set, he added.