THE Government has reaffirmed its commitment to assist thousands of Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders who are living in South Africa as the 31 December deadline for the expiry of the special permit regime beckons. An insignificant percentage is reported to have made representations to the Department of Home Affairs on why their permits should be extended, with media reports last week saying about four percent of permit holders have made applications to the South African government. Reports indicate that those who stand a bright chance to have their permits renewed are those in critical skills fields like engineering, science, health, mechanical engineering, Information Communication Technology and Finance, among others.
The expression of commitment comes amid revelations that
the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa has started visiting companies
and instructing them against hiring undocumented foreigners, while in some
instances banks have started to deny permit holders due to expire the opening
of accounts.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ambassador James Manzou said while it was true that there has not been movement
in terms of the deadline, there was continuous engagement between the two
countries. He advised those facing problems in South Africa before the deadline
to approach the Zimbabwean Embassy in that country and get assistance. “There
is constant communication between ourselves and our South African counterparts
on the issue of the deadline dates. The recent one being the Foreign Ministries
Mid-Term Review Meeting of the third session of the Bi-National Commission
between Zimbabwe and South Africa,” he said.
Amb Manzou hinted that they were being apprised on the
developments on a day-to-day basis as they were in constant contact with the
South African Embassy on various other issues including the developments as the
calendar ticks towards the expiry of the permits date. “As the date gets nearer
and nearer towards the expiration of the permits on December 31, we are making
engagements. There has not been a change of the dates but we are saying if
there are any Zimbabweans that are facing those kinds of challenges, they have
to approach the Embassy in South Africa and state their cases so that they get
assisted,” said Amb Manzou.
He said the Government was aware of some of the challenges
that people were facing and was ready to
help if approached through the Embassy. “Any help that our citizens may need
they can get from there. We are ready to assist them if ever they are having problems
of any kind. The Embassy in South Africa has been briefed on the situation and
the South African Foreign Affairs Ministry has also been briefed on the issue,”
he said.
The Zimbabwe Exemption Permit is a special dispensation
document that was established more than 10 years ago and it provided legal
protection to a number of Zimbabweans who live, work and study in South Africa.
In January this year the South African government decided
that the arrangement should be terminated by December and that permit holders
should apply for a visa to remain in South Africa on the basis of a list of
critical skills.
In June, the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) took the
government to court for discontinuing the permits, saying that the decision
will turn ZEP holders in South Africa into undocumented migrants and force them
to return home.
However, in the court papers, Home Affairs director-general
Mr Livhuwani Tommy Makhode said the
minister had allowed ZEP holders to apply for visas as contemplated by the
Immigration Act. Mr Makhode said a decision not to grant further exemptions had
not been made. “This is clear from the fact that ZEP holders are entitled to
and were invited to make representations as to why their ZEPs should not be
terminated and/or why their ZEPs should be extended for a period longer than
[the] 12-month extension granted by the minister,” he said.
He said only 6 000 of the approximately 178 000 ZEP holders
have taken the opportunity to make representations to the minister. The South
African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) last week quoted the chief executive
for the National Employers’ Association of South Africa, Gerhard Papenfus,
lamenting the loss of a hard-working workforce.
“It’s very unfortunate because these are very valuable
employees in the hospitality sector so business is very unhappy with this
arrangement. They work very hard and are very reliable. Losing good employees
is very difficult.” Sunday News
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