No joy for 200 000 permit holders in SA

Thupeyo Muleya–Beitbridge Bureau

The 200 000 Zimbabweans in South Africa on special dispensation permits have just next year to sort out a more regular permit or go home, the South African Cabinet decided on Wednesday.

In a post-cabinet statement today, Cabinet spokesperson Ms Phumla Williams said those Zimbabweans who previously benefited from the special dispensation permits were now free to apply for other permits appropriate to their particular status or situation.

“Cabinet considered the much talked about ZEP and also noted the fake news being spread on these permits,” she said. 

“The first Zimbabwean special dispensation started in 2009 and was called the Dispensation for Zimbabwe Permit. It provided for the documentation of qualifying Zimbabweans for a five-year period.

In 2014, the dispensation was extended by three years and called the Zimbabwean Special Permit.

The current ZEP was initiated in 2017 and comes to an end on 31 December 2021.

“Following its deliberations, Cabinet decided to no longer issue extensions to the Zimbabwean special dispensations. 

“However, it decided on a 12 months grace period at the expiry of the current ZEP”.

She said at the end of the 12 months grace period, those who will have failed to successfully apply for other permits will have to leave South Africa or be deported.