The Zimbabwe passport centre in Johannesburg has been completed and will begin offering services to Zimbabweans in South Africa this month.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa, Mr David Hamadziripi, stated that the Johannesburg centre is now training staff before commencing services.
He announced:
“The e-passport processing centre in Johannesburg is complete and ready to operate. What remains is the training of our staff, which we are currently working on.” He added, “Once our staff is trained, we will be in a position to deliver this much-awaited and anticipated service. We will announce at the appropriate time.”
The centre can process 18 passports simultaneously, with an expected turnaround time of less than 10 minutes per client, capable of clearing at least 360 people daily.
Sunday Mail reported that an e-passport centre would also soon open in Gokwe South to decentralise services nationwide. Furthermore, five passport offices abroad, including those in the United Kingdom and the United States, will also start providing services to the Diaspora this year.
The Zimbabwe consulate in Johannesburg confirmed that preparations for the launch of the passport centre and e-passport processing system are at an advanced stage.
They revealed:
“The consulate wishes to inform Zimbabwean nationals in South Africa that it has not yet rolled out the e-passport system. It, however, confirms that preparations for the launch of the passport centre and e-passport processing system in Johannesburg are at an advanced stage, and the program will be rolled out soon. The consulate is in the process of finalising logistical arrangements in preparation for the official launch of the program.”
Currently, e-passports are processed at the Harare passport registry and provincial and district offices in various locations across Zimbabwe.
Source iHarare
