Pretoria – Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has announced a further extension of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) until 28 May 2027, providing permit holders with an additional 18 months of legal residency in South Africa. The extension, gazetted on Wednesday morning, comes after the original expiry date of 28 November loomed.
The ZEP, initially introduced in 2017, was designed to regularise the status of Zimbabwean nationals who migrated to South Africa due to economic and political instability in their home country. It allows eligible Zimbabweans to live, work, and study legally in South Africa without facing deportation or the need for standard visas.
The future of the ZEP has been uncertain since December 2021, when the Department of Home Affairs announced its discontinuation, giving holders until 31 December 2022, to transition to other visa categories. The latest extension offers a reprieve for ZEP holders while the government undertakes broader consultations on a long-term solution.
Schreiber explained that the extension is intended to facilitate comprehensive consultations. “The Immigration Advisory Board (IAB) was appointed by me with effect from April. The IAB has met on several occasions and deliberated among themselves on the immediate future and a long-term solution for holders of ZEP permits. Critical stakeholders will need to be part of a consultation process,” he said.
During this extended period, Schreiber has assured ZEP holders that they will not be subject to deportation. “No holder of the exemption may be arrested, ordered to depart or be detained for purposes of deportation or deported in terms of section 34 of the Immigration Act for any reason related to him or her not having any valid exemption certificate,” Schreiber stated.
Furthermore, ZEP holders will be permitted to enter and leave South Africa, even if their passports do not have a valid visa.
“The holder of an exemption certificate may be allowed to enter into or depart from the Republic… provided that he or she complies with all other requirements for entry into and departure from the Republic, except for the reason of not having a valid visa endorsed in his or her passport," Schreiber clarified.
He further emphasised that “no ZEP holder should be required to produce a valid exemption certificate, visa or an authorisation letter to remain in the Republic.”
The extension of the ZEP provides a temporary solution for thousands of Zimbabwean nationals living in South Africa, allowing them to continue their lives without the immediate threat of deportation while the government seeks a more permanent resolution. The upcoming consultations will be crucial in determining the long-term future for ZEP holders and their integration into South African society.
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