By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The department of home affairs has extended the validity exemption permits for Zimbabweans that were set to expire at the end of June until the end of the year.
Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi issued a directive in September 2022 to extend the validity of exemption permits, but said in a statement late on Wednesday they will now expire only at the end of December 2023.
The extension comes after the department had “approved thousands of waiver applications of the affected Zimbabwean nationals” and was “considering and approving waiver applications daily”.
“This has resulted in a significant increase in the number of visa and waiver applications. The Departmental Advisory Committee (DAC) led by Dr Cassius Lubisi is now dealing with the increased number of visa applications,” Motsoaledi said.
The department, said Motsoaledi, has been receiving between 1 000 and 1 500 visa and waiver applications daily, and more officials have been deployed to assist in processing the applications.
The extension period will now end on 31 December 2023.
Under the extension, no holder of a valid ZEP may be arrested, ordered to depart the country or be detained for deportation for any reason related to them not having a valid exemption certificate.
Motsoaledi will be addressing a letter to International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor, requesting her to issue a note verbale to the Zimbabwean ambassador, informing him of the directive.
During the economic and political strife in Zimbabwe in 2008 and 2009, many of the country’s citizens fled to South Africa.
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.
Meanwhile the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) has welcomed the extension of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits by Home Affairs.
HSF executive director Nicole Fritz says the extension of the permits was a humane gesture from the minister.
“We welcome the decision of the minister as matters stand the Helen Suzman Foundation together with several other parties has challenged the decision of 2001 to terminate the Zimbabwean exemption permits and that matter has been argued before the courts.
“We are awaiting judgment but the expiry date was leaning as it was to be the 30th of June and this was creating extreme anxiety for the ZEP holders leaving them in a situation of tremendous uncertainty leaving them unable to climb.”
The foundation is still awaiting a court ruling on the reversal of the decision of Motsoaledi to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit.