Thank you, hon Chair. The answer to the first part of the question is no. Since the commencement of the documentation of the Zimbabweans, we have not experienced a lack of will or commitment from the Zimbabwean government to process passport applications. In fact, as at the deadline of 31 December 2010, we had received a total of 275 762 applications.
From this total, 215 056 have already been issued with passports. Only 60 706 have not yet received their passports. Out of 60 706 people, 28 044 have applied and are currently awaiting receipt of their passports whilst 32 662 are yet to apply for their passports at the Zimbabwean consulate.
I don't know, we are both standing, so I'm not sure ...
Hon Chair, my humble apologies. I'm afraid - and I don't know about other members - I can't hear what the Minister is saying.
You can't hear? Okay. Staff, could you please assist the Minister with the microphone?
The answer is no. Can you hear? The answer is no. Since the commencement of the documentation of the Zimbabweans we have not experienced a lack of will or commitment from the Zimbabwean government to process passport applications. Following the deadline of 31 December 2010 we received 275 762 applications. Out of those, 215 056 have passports. Only 60 706 have not yet received passports, but out of those that have not yet received passports, 28 044 have applied and are waiting for their passports. The 32 662 are yet to apply for their passports at the Zimbabwean consulate.
And as we are aware, I have also had bilateral relation meetings with our Zimbabwean counterparts and we have finalised that all people should be issued with passports by 31 July. Part of the reason why 31 July was agreed upon is that some of the people who applied did not produce sufficient evidence that they are Zimbabwean. They have to go back and check in the first place whether they are Zimbabwean and if they are, they will then be issued with the necessary documentation.
Some of them don't even have Zimbabwean IDs. The process of verifying them, giving IDs and passports will take a bit long. They have assured us that, as of 31 July, everybody who is Zimbabwean who has applied will receive passports. I also want to say that our process is not dependent on the Zimbabweans. We will adjudicate all the applications and people will have to fetch their permits when they have their passports.
As far as we are concerned we will finish all adjudications by 31 August if the last passports come in by 31 July. By 31 August we would have finished all our adjudications. If people don't fetch their permits, it's not our problem and that would be their problem. As far as we are concerned there should be no problem with this process. Thank you.
Regarding the last part of the question, I really don't see how this process is linked to the Zimbabwean elections. The answer is no.
Statements made by National Director of Public Prosecutions and National Police Commissioner relating to extradition of a person from the United Kingdom, and position in this regard
4. Mr D V Bloem (Cope) asked the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development:
Whether statements that were made by the National Director of Public Prosecutions and the National Police Commissioner (names furnished) are (a) reckless and unbecoming of their positions and knowledge of the law and (b) detrimental to an application for extradition of a certain person (name furnished) from the United Kingdom; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?