On Tuesday, Zimbabweans residing in South Africa are set to take to the streets of Pretoria in a demonstration against a significant increase in passport fees. The protest, scheduled to commence at 10 a.m., will see marchers gather at an open area located at the intersection of Madiba Street and Stanza Bopape Street. From there, they will proceed along Stanza Bopape Street, turn left onto East Avenue, then right onto Merton Avenue, and continue to the Zimbabwean Embassy, where they are expected to disperse around 1 p.m.
The planned march follows an announcement made by the Zimbabwean consulate in Johannesburg on July 26, revealing that the cost of a passport would rise from R3,100 to over R4,500—a nearly 50% increase. This sharp hike has prompted more than 1,000 Zimbabweans to sign a petition urging the government to reconsider its decision.
Protesters argue that the price increase places an undue burden on the diaspora community, many of whom already face financial challenges. The demonstrators hope to draw attention to their plight and press for a more affordable solution.
In light of the planned march, several streets in the vicinity of the protest route will be affected. These include:
– Stanza Bopape
– Beckett Street
– Thomas Avenue
– Pine Street
– Hamilton Street
– Merton Avenue
Motorists are advised to avoid these areas and use alternative routes such as:
– Pretorius Street
– Francis Baard Street
– Park Street
– Edmond Street
– Eastwood Street
The protest underscores growing frustration among Zimbabweans abroad over increasing costs and highlights the ongoing challenges faced by expatriates in navigating bureaucratic processes in their host countries.
In other news – Zambia to import electricity from Zimbabwe and South Africa
On Thursday, Zambia announced a significant step to address its worsening power crisis by importing electricity from neighboring South Africa and Zimbabwe. The move comes as the country faces an unprecedented drought that has sharply reduced hydropower output, resulting in blackouts of up to 16 hours daily.
Energy Minister Makozo Chikote revealed that ZESCO, Zambia’s state-owned power company, will acquire 218 megawatts of electricity from South Africa’s Eskom and the Zimbabwe Power Company. Chikote indicated that the additional power will be integrated into Zambia’s grid within August. Read More
