The Zimbabwe Community in South Africa has welcomed the extension of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) scheme by the South African government for a further six months to 31 December 2023.
On Wednesday, 07 June, South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi extended the validity of the ZEP permits which were expiring on 30 June 2023.
He extended the ZEP permits for a further period of 6 months, ending on 31 December 2023.
Speaking to VOA News after Motsoaledi extended the ZEP Permits, Bongani Mkhwananzi, spokesperson of the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa, urged his compatriots to use the opportunity to regularise their status. Said Mkhwananzi:
We welcome this directive and we are grateful to the minister for taking into consideration the plight of our fellow compatriots and also acknowledging that he is signing a lot of waivers and that many people have started applying for the waivers.
This extension should be used by our compatriots to migrate to the mainstream permits.
They should not take this extension just as a chance to stay and do nothing about their documents.
So, we encourage people to continue to apply for waivers as the minister has advised that he is signing these on a daily basis.
Motsoaledi said the holder of a ZEP permit will be allowed to enter and exit South Africa, provided they comply with all entry or exit requirements.
ZEP holders would not be required to present an exemption permit or authorisation letter to remain in the country during the extension period.
During the economic and political strife in Zimbabwe in 2008 and 2009, many Zimbabweans fled to South Africa as economic and political refugees.
At the time, the South African government created a blanket exemption so that Zimbabweans could get permits to live and work legally.
The permits were effectively extended by creating another permit over the years, which has since become known as the ZEP.
More than 178 000 ZEP holders have been in South Africa for over a decade.
On 29 November 2021, a directive was issued by the Director-General of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) confirming the cabinet’s decision to discontinue the ZEP scheme.
The ZEP permits, which were due to expire on 31 December 2021, were automatically regarded as valid until 31 December 2022.
On 2 September 2022, the Minister of Home Affairs extended ZEP for an additional 6 months until 30 June 2023 to allow the holders to apply for one or another visa for which they may qualify in terms of the Immigration Act.
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