The Sunday News
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
THE Government is scaling up efforts to ensure the smooth movement and re-integration of more than 178 000 citizens who are going to return home on or before the end of June following the expiry of their extended stay in South Africa under the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP).
A team has already been deployed at the borders to assess preparedness while another has been sent to South Africa to establish the numbers and assist get the citizens the necessary documentation for their re-integration back into Zimbabwe.
Responding to questions from Sunday News, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador James Manzou said Government has put in place various interventions to guide the process.
“The Ministry is doing a lot to prepare for the coming of our nationals who were ZEP holders in South Africa. In Zimbabwe, an inter-ministerial committee was set up to prepare for the returning residents. The committee is supported by sub- committees which include functional areas like transport and logistics; security; documentation; re-integration support; resource mobilisation; information and publicity; as well as health and education.
“The inter-ministerial committee has visited borders to assess the state of readiness. The committee visited both Beitbridge and Plumtree border posts. In South Africa, we have sent a mapping mission team. The team has two objectives, the first being to provide proper documentation to those returning residents who might be needing them. The second is to establish the number of people affected by the development. The team is visiting each and every province,” said Ambassador Manzou.
Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP)
Meanwhile, the legal battle over permissibility of their deportation continued with a full bench at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria reserving its ruling in the case brought by the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit Holders (ZEPHA) and other civil society organisations. They are challenging the decision by South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi not to renew the ZEP.
In 2021, Minister Motsoaledi announced that the ZEP system would not be renewed. Two temporary extensions were granted with the most recent deadline being 30 June 2023. ZEP holders have until the end of June to apply for alternative visas or waivers, without which they risk deportation to Zimbabwe. As the deadline approaches, various associations representing ZEP holders have approached the courts seeking permanent residence in South Africa.
“We have concluded during our brief adjournment that in order to do justice to the merits of this application as well as the importance of the application to the parties concerned and the urgency of this application, it would be prudent to reserve our ruling. We are aware that the litigants before court especially the applicants would want to have the finalisation of the matter before 30 June 2023 so we will have that in mind,” said Judge Colleen Collis.
Advocate Simba Chitando, representing ZEP holders argued that the South African Immigration Act makes provision for those residing in South Africa under a variety of visa programmes to apply for permanent residence and that this right should be granted to ZEP holders. Arguing for the state, Advocate Myron Dewrance said the ZEP permit specifically prohibited the holder from applying for permanent residence.
The exemption permit system was introduced in 2009 under the Dispensation of Zimbabweans Project, which allowed Zimbabweans unlawfully in South Africa to regularise their status, allowing them to live, work and study in the neighbouring country. The scheme was extended and renamed the Zimbabwean Special Permit in 2014 and the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit in 2017. In 2021, Dr Motsoaledi announced that the ZEP system would not be renewed, though two temporary extensions were granted, most recently until 30 June 2023.
That impacted on 178 000 ZEP holders and their families, resulting in a potential crisis that could see hundreds of thousands of people, if family members are considered.
Part of the organisations who filed their arguments at the High Court include Helen Suzman Foundation, the Zimbabwe Immigration Federation (ZIF) and the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa, all seeking to have the minister’s decision to terminate the scheme set aside.
The ZIF is also asking the court for an interim interdict to prevent the ZEP system ending on 30 June 2023, so that ZEP holders will not be at risk of being declared illegal foreigners. Arguments were also heard from the All-Truck Drivers Forum and Allied South Africa. They said that the blanket exemptions were unlawful in the first place, and the minister had no right to extend the scheme.
The Zimbabwean Government has, however, issued guidelines and regulations for returning residents which include one duty-free vehicle and no limits to personal property. The Government has also engaged the South African government, emphasising that Zimbabwe is ready to receive its returning nationals, who should comply with the South African laws. — nyeve14
