South Africa has extended the validity of Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) by a further six months, to allow the holders to apply for one or more other visas and waivers provided for in the Immigration Act.
The permits were due to expire on June 30 and a number of
Zimbabweans living and working in South Africa had started expressing their
desire to be assisted to come back home.
The Government had put in place measures to allow for their
seamless return.
But in a statement seen by The Herald last night attributed
to South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, the exemption
permits have been extended to December 31.
Dr Motsoaledi said during the next six months, no holder of
the ZEP may be arrested, ordered to depart or be detained for purposes of
deportation, or deported in terms of the Immigration Act for any reason related
to him or her not having any valid exemption certificate.
A number of Zimbabweans had been arranging to come home
ahead of the anticipated expiry of their special three-year permits.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa Mr David Hamadziripi
yesterday said 10 000 people had registered with the embassy to facilitate
their smooth return.
At the moment the Department of Immigration at Beitbridge
Border Post is processing documents for an average of 200 returning residents a
day who are holders of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP).
Over 170 000 Zimbabweans are based in South Africa under
the special permit. In November 2021, the South African Cabinet indicated that
they were not make further concessions for the ZEP holders, who were then given
a grace period to migrate to other mainstream permits or return home.
As such, Zimbabwe has been putting measures in place to
facilitate a smooth return of the affected Zimbabweans. Among other things, the
returnees will enjoy a free import rebate including the shipping of one vehicle
owned on the date of arrival in Zimbabwe.
“Individuals have registered through the online platform
established by the embassy and the consulates,” said Mr Hamadziripi. “Some have
done so directly to the embassy and the two consulates and others have
contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade directly”.
The regional Immigration officer in charge of Beitbridge Mr
Joshua Chibundu said they were ready to assist the fellow countrymen.
“We are ready to assist our fellow countrymen and we have
been processing at least 200 entries for ZEP holders on a daily basis,” he
said.
The district civil protection committee chairperson, Mrs
Sikhangezile Mafu Moyo said recently that they had identified the Government
run reception and support centre and the National Social Security Quarantine
and Support centre to house those who would need accommodation upon getting to
Beitbridge.
The two centres have a combined carrying capacity of 1 600
people including adults and children.
“We have identified two places to accommodate the returnees
as the receiving town of Beitbridge and we are using the whole of government
approach so that the whole process becomes seamless,” she said.
“All the sub committees have been activated to outline
plans on health, transport, health, resource mobilisation and social
protection.
“From what we are seeing on the ground, everyone is playing
their role effectively. In fact, we have handled more human traffic before and
we will continue using the same strategies”.
She said more resources were being mobilised through
various Government and non-government agencies.
Mrs Mafu made the remarks during a stakeholders meeting
held in the border town and was attended by stakeholders from the district up
to the national level.
The local head of the social services department in charge
of the reception and support centres, Miss Mellissa Zimuto, said already they
had made requisitions for more manpower from their employer to handle the huge
traffic volume.
“We have divided the period into three categories, that is
pre-arrival, arrival and post arrival,” she said.
“What it means is that our fellow countrymen would need
varied services in those three periods and we are making the necessary
arrangements to ensure we take care of all social protection issues.
“At the moment, while we are attending to all logistical
issues, we have teams on the ground raising awareness on integration issues in
the known sending and receiving migrants’ areas”.
She said they were also training more people on case
management issues, to handle cases relating to the arrival of unaccompanied
minors or separated family members.
Miss Zimuto said they were also mobilising resources for
transport and reunification of specified family members.
“We are also engaging community leaders to ensure that some
of the children who are likely to return are catered for under the Basic
Education Assistance Module (BEAM),” she added.
In 2009, the South African government launched the
Dispensation of Zimbabwean Project with the main objective of providing amnesty
to undocumented Zimbabwean nationals in South Africa to regularize their stay.
In 2018, the permit dispensation was extended and renamed
to the ZEP, for four years which was due to expire at the end of last year. This
was extended to the middle of this year. Herald
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