Permit holders may have been afforded a 12-month reprieve in June, but many say their relief was short-lived, with the Minister of Home Affairs now challenging the court ruling. While figuring out their (limited) options, many have to contend with locals' ill feeling towards them and the threat of losing their livelihoods.

Kelvin Kambasha travelled to South Africa from Zimbabwe to "look for something better" in the wake of Zimbabwe's sociopolitical and economic instability of the mid-2000s. He had no one to rely on and needed to quickly become industrious. He found employment first as a van assistant before being promoted to heavy-duty driver once he obtained a Code 14 licence.

"If they terminate the permits completely, I will suffer a lot because my licence and my experience will be of value only in SA," explains Kambasha (Not his real name. The names of all Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders quoted in this report have been changed as sources requested anonymity because of fear of retribution.)

"I am earning a living through driving trucks and so if I don't renew my licence, my family will suffer a lot," Kambasha says.

His situation is similar to that of more than 150,000 ZEP holders in South Africa following a directive by the Department of Home Affairs in November 2021 for the cancellation of the permits.

They have a limited number of alternatives: returning to an unfamiliar country; remaining as undocumented migrants; relocating to developed countries overseas; or transitioning to mainstream permits.

While relocating...