South Africa’s Cabinet gave ZEP holders a 12-month grace
period to apply for other permits or risk being deported.
The announcement has caused panic among several thousands
of Zimbabweans who are ZEP holders.
In a statement yesterday, Zimbabwean ambassador to South
Africa, David Hamadziripi urged ZEP holders to stay calm and comply with the
South African Cabinet decision, adding that negotiations had started between
the two countries.
Hamadziripi said they would urge their South African counterparts
to disseminate information on time as such decisions impacted the livelihoods
of thousands of people.
“It is the embassy’s expectation that this decision will be
implemented with the minimum of disruption to the lives and livelihoods of the
affected individuals and their families. The government of the Republic of
Zimbabwe takes note of this decision by the government of the Republic of South
Africa, a close neighbour with which Zimbabwe enjoys excellent relations,”
Hamadziripi said.
“The government of the Republic of Zimbabwe urges and
encourages all its nationals, beneficiaries of the special dispensation, to
comply with this decision and to co-operate in its implementation.”
At the beginning of the programme 12 years ago, 300 000
people applied for the Dispensation of Zimbabwean Permit, which provided for
the documentation of qualifying Zimbabweans for a five-year period.
They then renewed them under the Zimbabwean Special
Dispensation permit in 2014. The number of applicants shrunk to 182 000 under
the ZEP in 2017.
Over three million Zimbabweans are believed to be in South
Africa, a huge number being undocumented. Newsday
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