SA extends ZEP expiry deadline

Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor

SOUTH Africa has extended the expiry of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) by a further six months, to allow the holders to apply for other visas provided for in the country’s Immigration Act.

The permits were due to expire at the end of this month, with both governments putting in place measures for the smooth return to Zimbabwe for those that had their permits expired.

In a statement released on Wednesday, South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, however announced that the exemption permits have been extended to December 31 this year.

Dr Motsoaledi said during the next six months, no holder of the ZEP may be arrested, ordered to depart or be detained for purposes of deportation, or deported in terms of the Immigration Act for any reason related to him or her not having any valid exemption certificate.

“No holder of a valid exemption permit may be arrested, ordered to depart or be detained for purposes of deportation or deported in terms of the section 34 of the Immigration Act for any reason related to him or her not having any valid exemption certificate in his or her passport. The holder of a valid exemption permit may not be dealt with in terms of sections 29, 30 and 32 of the Immigration Act.

“The holder of a valid exemption permit may be allowed to enter into or depart from the Republic of South Africa in terms of section 9 of the Act, read together with the Immigration Regulations, 2014, provided that he or she complies with all other requirements for entry into and departure from the Republic, save for the reason of having an expired exemption permit indicated in his or her passport,” reads the statement.