HARARE – The South African government has extended by a further six months, the legality of Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) which are now set to expire 30 June, 2023.
The permits were set to expire December 31 this year.
South Africa’s Home Affairs ministry said last month that only 6 000 out of the 178 000 permit holders had made representations about why the department should not terminate their permits.
On Friday, home affairs spokesperson Siya Qoza said extensions granted on the permits were to allow Zimbabweans wishing to remain in the neighbouring country for one reason or another to regularise their stay under options currently being provided by South Africa’s immigration laws.
“The minister is committed to affording the affected Zimbabwean nationals another opportunity to apply for one of the other visas or waivers provided in the Immigration Act,” he said.
Motsoaledi said the extension meant that no permit holders may be arrested, detained, or deported.
“The holder of the permit may be allowed to enter into or depart from the Republic of South Africa in terms of section 9 of the [Immigration] act, read together with the immigration regulations, 2014, provided he or she complies with all other requirements for entry and departure from the republic,” Motsoaledi said.
“The ZEP is a special dispensation permit that was established more than 10 years ago, providing legal protection to an estimated 178 000 Zimbabweans who live, work and study in the country.
“The decision to terminate the permits in December came after the Cabinet agreed that permit holders with critical skills must apply for visas to remain in South Africa.”
South Africa, which shares a border with Zimbabwe, is home to an estimated one million Zimbabweans who have been hounded out of their homeland especially in the past two decades by a combination of a collapsed economy and political persecution under the Zanu PF led government.
Meanwhile, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has called on the Zimbabwean government to take full responsibility of Zimbabweans who continue to face different challenges outside the country.
In a statement Thursday, the 81 member conglomerate of civic groups, churches, labour unions and other interest organisations, urged the Zanu PF led administration to “embrace far reaching governance reforms to stem further forced migration”.
“The daily influx of Zimbabweans into South Africa through legal and illegal migration is a clear indicator of push factors that the government must urgently address,” said the group.
CiZC also called on Zimbabwean authorities to “address the socio-economic and political factors that are forcing Zimbabweans to cross into South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and other neighbouring countries”.
“This is the surest way of ensuring that immigration does not end up overwhelming local populations leading to deadly events such as the one currently unfolding in South Africa.
“Unreservedly engage their South African counterparts for immediate relief and protection of Zimbabweans citizens and other foreign nationals in South Africa,” said the group.
