More Time in South Africa for Zimbabweans, Basotho With Permits
The change comes after December 31, 2023, was denoted as the expiration of the ZEP programme, which would have affected over 178,000 Zimbabweans. "I call upon all the affected Lesotho and Zimbabwean nationals to make use of the window of opportunity to apply for new exemption permits through VFS Global," allAfrica's Andre van Wyk reports Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi as saying.
InFocus
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An urgent application brought by the Helen Suzman Foundation to protect the rights of Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders was dismissed by the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday November 7, because the judges said there was no need in law for it, GroundUp reports.
Judges Colleen Collis, Gcina Malindi and Mandlenkosi Motha said their previous ruling in June this year, which gave 178,000 ZEP holders
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(file photo)
InFocus
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South Africa's Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi will appeal a decision by three judges sitting as a full bench in the Pretoria High Court, who ruled that his decision to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit programme was unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid.
The judges directed the minister to reconsider the issue "following a fair process" that complies with the relevant laws. Pending the outcome of that process, the permits will remain valid for another 12
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South Africa's Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, has extended the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) for six more months.
The ZEP will now be valid until December 31, 2023.
This decision is in response to the high number of visa and waiver applications from Zimbabwean nationals, the statement says. ZEP holders will not face arrest, deportation, or detention during this extension. According to Motsoaledi, a permit holder will be allowed into and out of South Africa,
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The High Court in Pretoria has reserved judgment in the case brought by the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit Holders (ZEPHA) and other civil society organisations against the state.
The groups, which include the Helen Suzman Foundation, are mounting a legal challenge over the South African government's decision to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) system without consultation, Ciaran
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Thousands of Zimbabweans who were due for deportation at the expiry of their residence permits in December have been given a six-month grace period to regularise their stay.
In a statement on September 2, South Africa Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the Departmental Advisory Committee (DAC) decided to give affected Zimbabweans another chance, noting that only a few had submitted applications to renew their permits.
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Zimbabwe and South Africa will work together to find a common solution on the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) that are due to expire at the end of 2022, Africa Moyo of The Herald reports.
Zimbabwean Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Ambassador Frederick Shava, said the expiry of the exemption permits "has been on the cards for some time" since South Africa
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From 1 January 2023, hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans and their children will no longer be able to live, work and go to school legally in the republic, writes Tariro Washinyira for GroundUp. This is due to the government's decision to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) at the end of 2022.
Some Zimbabweans who held ZEPs shared their anxiety and anguish as they face
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About 50 human rights organisations have written to South African Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi expressing concerns over the humanitarian impact by choosing to not renew a permit used to regularise Zimbabweans living in the country, Tariro Washinyira of GroundUp reports.
Nearly 180,000
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