Passport prices to increase in November, Mzansi says “Who comes up with these crazy prices?”

• The application fee for some South African passports will double in price as of Thursday, 1 November
• The fee for a standard passport for adults and children will increase to R600 from the initial price of R400
• Official passports, which are currently free, will start to be charged from next month as well

JOHANNESBURG - Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi noted that the application fee for some South African passports would double next month. The notice was Gazetted on Thursday, 6 October.

The fee for a standard passport for adults and children will increase to R600 from the initial price of R400 that took effect in 2011. Frequent travellers will have to cough up R1200 for a 48-page passport.

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The bigger passports previously had a 50% premium that was in line with its additional page number.

Business Insider reported that the application for passports at embassies or consulates outside of South Africa is doubled the new price.

With the new prices implemented, replacing lost, stolen, or damaged passports could be double the standard issue fee. According to the Gazette, documents that have been lost, stolen or damaged through no negligence will cost the standard issue fee.

Official passports, which are currently free, will start to be charged from Tuesday, 1 November. It will cost the same price as a standard tourist passport.

Citizens react to the increase:

Melanie Scholtz said:

“Stop making money. God not everyone is rolling in it. You expect money from a country that has none! No work or food or electricity or water! Wake up man!”

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Samantha-Lee Alexander commented:

“Does not matter how high they make it …. People will still leave (leaving) for better opportunities.”

Mampele Maggie posted:

“Who comes up with these crazy prices?”

Carrington DSoul Shilubane wrote:

“ANC Minsters require we host a party for them to celebrate their high intellectual standards.”

Rara Otukoya added:

“Are they trying to keep us here by force?”

Home Affairs official arrested after issuing fake ID to Bangladeshi national under the name ‘Lebogang Ndlovu’

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported an official of the Department of Home Affairs has been arrested by the Hawks after the discovery that she issued a fraudulent ID to a Bangladesh national, Fahim Kazi.

Kazi who was given an ID under the name “Lebogang Ndlovu” was also arrested last month at OR Tambo International Airport following an investigation launched by the department.

According to TimesLIVE, Kazi previously applied for asylum in 2015, however, the department declined his application because it was found that he did not need asylum.

Source: Briefly News