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By Daniel Kachere News Editor
Zimbabweans in South Africa have been given a lifeline after the country’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) yesterday extended the validity of Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEPs) to December 31 this year, Nhau/Indaba has established.
ZEPs are legal documentation issued to Zimbabwean nationals living and working in South Africa to protect them from arrests and deportation in terms of the country’s Immigration Act.
According to Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Directive No. 2 of 2023, the move was necessitated by the huge number of waiver and visa applications by Zimbabweans willing to return home which have overwhelmed the Home Affairs minister.
“As you are aware, the minister of Home Affairs (Minister) issued a directive in September 2022, extending the validity of exemption permits issued to Zimbabwean Nationals to 30 June 2023. Since that time, significant developments took place.
“The Minister has approved thousands of waiver applications of the affected Zimbabwean nationals. This has resulted in 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 applications.
“The Minister is equally considering and approving waiver applications on a daily basis,” reads the directive attributed to Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi.
The department added that since the beginning of May, it was now receiving at least 1 000 visa and waiver applications from Zimbabweans on a daily basis such that they have since deployed more officials to assist in the processing of the applications.
“The Minister took into consideration the said factors, including ( to a certain extent ) submissions received from the affected Zimbabwean nationals, relevant officials of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and other interested parties and decided to issue another Immigration Directive, extending the validity of Zimbabwean Exemption Permits for a further period of six months, ending on 31 December 2023.” it reads.
Over 10 000 nationals were set to return to the country after a September 2022 declaration stating June 30 this year as the deadline when the permits would expire following an extension on the initial expiry date which was December 31 last year.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador David Hamadziripi, this week told South African media that the embassy had been approached by over 8 000 Zimbabweans seeking assistance to be relocated back to the country.
“At this point in time, we are actually working on some requests for assistance to go back. We are working witha number between 8 000- 10 000 at the moment because those are the individuals who have registered their interest to get some type of assistance to go back home, ” he said. Nhau/Indaba
