As the deadline for applying for a further one-year Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) approaches this Friday, confusion reigns among ZEP holders.
Many are expressing doubts about their ability to meet the November 29 deadline to apply for the extension, which would allow them to remain and work in South Africa until November 2025.
Without the necessary visa or waiver by the deadline, individuals could face deportation as reported by MoneyWeb.
The ZEP Holders Association (Zepha) reports that a significant backlog of several months for general worker visa and waiver applications at the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) makes it nearly impossible for many to submit their applications on time. Zepha is urging Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Aaron Motsoaledi, who extended the deadline in 2023.
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Advocate Simba Chitando, representing Zepha, criticized the DHA for creating unnecessary panic. “The November 2024 deadline for the ZEP is yet another self-created crisis,” he stated. “Due to bureaucratic challenges within the Department, many ZEP holders will be unable to meet the looming deadline through no fault of their own.”
Further complicating matters, many ZEP holders are struggling to secure appointments at VFS Global offices, which manage permit applications on behalf of the DHA. Chitando noted that the Minister had recently acknowledged that the department’s systems were overwhelmed, leading him to believe that an extension would be necessary to prevent a failure in documenting ZEP holders.
“This crisis could have been avoided if the government had not made decisions deemed unlawful by the courts and had instead allowed ZEP holders to apply for permanent residence after living in South Africa lawfully for the required period,” he added.
Approximately 178,000 ZEP holders have faced ongoing uncertainty about their status in South Africa. A previous deadline extension in November 2023 allowed them two more years in the country, but it came with the stipulation that Zimbabwean and Lesotho exemption permit holders would be ineligible for permanent residency.
This limitation is currently under legal challenge, with many ZEP holders—some of whom have been living and paying taxes in South Africa for over 15 years—arguing that the Minister has the authority to grant them permanent residency.
While the 2023 extension provided temporary relief, it did not resolve the uncertainty surrounding their legal status or that of their families. ZEP holders were accordingly instructed to apply for alternative visas, such as a general worker visa, to secure their status.
“Unfortunately, this deadline is causing significant stress as many ZEP holders struggle to secure submission dates at VFS Global offices,” noted Xpatweb, a firm offering services to expatriates.
In response to the challenges, Schreiber introduced a new system for issuing visas digitally via email, which has expedited the processing of over 60,000 ZEP waiver applications, many pending since 2022. ZEP holders who received waivers can use these to apply for general work visas.
Additionally, the DHA has launched a new points-based system for work visas aimed at reducing corruption and inefficiency while streamlining processes. This system provides a transparent framework for determining eligibility for critical skills and general work visas.
Minister Schreiber has received praise for his efforts to reform the DHA, recently dismissing 18 officials for various offenses including fraud, corruption, and sexual harassment. Another four received written warnings.