Zimbabweans safe from deportation during grace period

Holders of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) may not be arrested, detained, or deported during the 12-month grace period, the Department of Home Affairs has confirmed. A report in The Citizen notes that Cabinet decided not to extend the ZEPs, which was renewed every four years, in November. Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele said at the time that a 12-month grace period would be granted upon the expiry of the exemption permit. Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi officially gazetted the permit’s grace period two days before the 31 December 2021 deadline. The grace period means Zimbabwean nationals now have until 31 December 2022 to apply for alternative visas under the Immigration Act. The Government Gazette, published on Friday, indicated that no holder of the exemption can be arrested, detained, or ordered to depart for not having a valid exemption permit. Zimbabwean nationals, the document further states, are also permitted to enter into or depart from SA during the grace period. However, it provides that the holder ‘complies with all other requirements for entry into and departure’ from the country, except if they don’t have a valid permit to do so as indicated in their passport. Meanwhile, ZEP Holders’ Association’s Advocate Simba Chitando argued that the termination of the ZEPs would have dire consequences on the permit holders if they don’t apply for mainstream visas. Under a directive released on 29 November, companies, employers, learning institutions as well as banks, were instructed to discontinue services to those in possession of the ZEPs, unless the permit holders submitted proof of their application for a ‘mainstream’ visa. The permits holders’ association wants Zimbabweans to be declared as permanent SA residents. Home Affairs, however, indicated that it would consider applications for permanent residence from this month.