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At the height of the political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe two years ago, many chose to flee to South Africa. Now all illegal immigrants are required to apply for proper visas. Mass deportations are expected in the New Year.

Pandemonium in South Africa as up to one million Zimbabweans face deportation in the New Year.

Many of them entered the country without documents two years ago when Zimbabwe plunged into economic and political chaos.

Now they are required to apply for proper visas by December 31.

[Dr. Nkosazane Dlamini-Zuma, South Africa's Minister of Home Affairs]:
"There is no objective reason for being illegal in the country anymore. Before, there was a visa requirement and sometimes the queues were just very long there (Zimbabwe), it was taking very long to process when the crisis was at its high and therefore people then resorted to crossing without documents, now there is no reason for that."

Relief agencies estimate there could be as many as 1.5 million Zimbabweans in South Africa.

Latest figures reveal less than 125,000 have applied for the necessary visa, setting the scene for mass deportation in the new year.

Unemployment in South Africa stands at 25%, and with local elections on the horizon there are concerns the policy is designed to appeal to jobless voters.

Tensions between immigrants and poor South Africans led to horrific xenophobic attacks in 2008.

62 people were killed and hundreds of thousands left homeless; some were burned to death.

It is thought unlikely that many people will voluntarily relocate back to Zimbabwe, where economic hardships and political uncertainty mean most earn less than a dollar a day.