This follows the decision by the South African government
not to extend the permits for ZEP holders.
Permit holders have been given up to June this year to move
to other visa provisions or return home.
Government has already established an inter-ministerial
committee, which will be in charge of the relocation of ZEP holders in South
Africa.
The International Organisation of Migration (IOM) has
pledged to collaborate with the Government to assist Zimbabweans return home.
ZEP holders have worked in South Africa for more than 10
years and are expected to receive employment benefits when their permits are
terminated.
However, most of the ZEP holders do not qualify for other
available visas in the neighbouring country as they do not hold the specified
critical skills qualifications.
The Zimbabwean Embassy in South Africa is already seized
with drafting an online database to assist in the movement of returning
citizens.
While the Zimbabwean Community in South Africa has welcomed
the interventions by the Government, the organisation’s chairperson, Mr
Ngqabutho Mabhena, said ZEP holders are concerned about the employment benefits
ahead of the expiration of their permits.
He said they were engaging both the South African
government and ILO so that workers do not lose out when their permits expire.
“One of the issues that we are working on and still
consulting is to assist those who would not have been able to move to other visas
to be able to get their work benefits like the Provident Fund,” he said.
“Workers who are holders of ZEP are asking us about the
procedure and we are talking to the Department of Labour in Pretoria and we are
talking to the International Labour Organisation, they have an office in
Pretoria to see how we can assist these workers so that they do not lose out on
their benefits.”
Under the Provident Fund, employees receive money depending
on the taxes they would have paid. Mr Mabhena said ZEP holders have been part
of the South African economy for more than 10 years and accrued some benefits
in the process.
“They have been part of the South African economy for the
last 13 years and it is our considered view that if they decide to relocate
they should be able to take their benefits with them,” said Mr Mabhena.
He said they were closely following the Government’s
interventions in assisting returnees.
“We welcome the intervention by the Zimbabwean Government
to assist those that are returning to Zimbabwe. What is a worry to most people
is that they do have properties and as returning residents and they should not
be paying duty,” he said.
“We are happy that the Zimbabwean Government is
facilitating that so that people move to Zimbabwe with their goods, their
properties, with their vehicles and those items that ordinarily they would have
to pay duty for.”
He said ZEP holders should take up the online registration
programme, which Government has extended to them.
Mr Mabhena said ZEP holders are concerned over their
reintegration to the Zimbabwean society as most of them had not invested much
back home.
The online registration is being conducted to map areas in
which ZEP holders are located.
Briefing the South African press at the beginning of the
month, Zimbabwean Ambassador to South Africa Ambassador David Hamadziripi said
Government said the online registration runs from February 2 and ending March
3.
More than 180 000 ZEP holders could face deportation if
they do not migrate to other visas offered by the South African government by
the end of June if they do not voluntarily return home. Chronicle
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