On Friday morning, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber stepped in at the last moment to extend the validity of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP).

This announcement comes just as the ZEP was about to expire on Friday, causing widespread concern regarding the legal status of many individuals in the country.

Read: Confusion reigns as the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit deadline approaches

In a government gazette released on 29 November, Schreiber declared that the ZEP will remain in effect until 28 November 2025, stating, “to fulfill my duty imposed by the Gauteng High Court to consult with affected ZEP holders and all stakeholders regarding the future of the existing arrangement.”

This reference was made concerning a court ruling that GroundUp covered earlier.

Schreiber affirmed that the Immigration Advisory Board will be reinstated to advise the department on compliance with the high court’s ruling related to the ZEP’s future.

He added, “No individual holding a ZEP may be arrested, ordered to depart, detained for deportation, or deported under Section 34 of the Immigration Act for reasons linked to the absence of a valid exemption certificate.”

Those with an exemption certificate will be allowed to enter and exit the country, “as long as they fulfill all other entry and exit criteria, barring the absence of a valid visa stamped in their passport.”

Long queues

As the news of the extension spread on Friday, many ZEP holders faced long waits outside VFS Global offices in Cape Town and Gqeberha, eager to apply for waivers that would allow them to remain in South Africa as their ZEPs approached expiry. VFS serves as the service provider for the Department of Home Affairs.

On Thursday morning, just after 6 AM, a line of people extended around the building at the Cape Town office.

Numerous individuals informed GroundUp that they had spent several days at the VFS offices to either collect or inquire about their applications to remain legally in South Africa. They expressed their frustration with the functionality of VFS’s online booking system.

A notice outside the VFS office indicated it would be open on Saturday for individuals to pick up their waivers.

The Gqeberha VFS Global office remained busy on Friday morning, with around 80 people still waiting in line at 10 AM.

A mother of three, who holds a ZEP, mentioned traveling from Cradock only to be told to return on Friday morning.

“I live far away and have no friends here… I feel trapped because I must ensure I remain legally in this country, considering the regular arrests by immigration officials,” she shared.

A mother and son from Cleary Park, who were turned away on Thursday, expressed their frustration after struggling to book an appointment for the past month.

“We made every effort to secure online appointments. At first, I thought my son just didn’t understand the system. We even sought help from an internet café, but it was the same situation,” she stated.

Chris Mapingure, chair of the Zimbabwe Migrants Support Network, remarked: “We are unhappy with how Home Affairs has managed requests from people looking to renew their permits through VFS. Throughout the month, we received desperate pleas for help from those struggling to get appointments.”

He mentioned their efforts to convince Home Affairs to offer an extended grace period to ensure that everyone can receive assistance.

Inquiries sent to VFS Global were unanswered by the time this article went to press.

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