Author: TSA Press

This
move
also
allows
time
for
the
required
consultations
and
legal
processes
to
unfold.

The
decision
by
Schreiber
follows
a
directive
from
the
Gauteng
High
Court
requiring
the
Minister
to
consult
with
affected
ZEP
holders
and
stakeholders
regarding
the
future
of
the
permit
programme

The
Zimbabwean
Exemption
Permit
was
initially
introduced
to
allow
Zimbabwean
nationals
living
in
South
Africa
to
regularise
their
stay.

However,
the
future
of
the
programme
has
been
under
scrutiny,
with
ongoing
debates
on
whether
it
should
be
extended
or
phased
out.

“I,
Dr
L.
A.
Schreiber,
MP,
Minister
of
Home
Affairs,
with
the
powers
bestowed
upon
me
in
terms
of
section
31(2)(b)
of
the
Immigration
Act,
(“Immigration
Act”)
have
decided
to
extend
the
validity
of
the
Zimbabwean
Exemption
Permits
(“ZEP”)
until
28
November
2025
in
order
for
me
to
fulfill
the
duty
placed
on
me
by
the
Gauteng
High
Court
to
consult
the
affected
ZEP
holders
and
all
other
stakeholders
on
the
future
of
the
current
dispensation,”
Schreiber
said
in
a
statement
issued
by
the
Department
of
Home
Affairs
on
November
28,
2024.

The
Home
Affairs
minister
said
the
extension
would
provide
the
necessary
time
for
consultation
and
allow
the
reactivation
of
the
Immigration
Advisory
Board
(IAB).

“The
first
task
of
the
IAB
will
be
to
consider,
advise,
and
enable
the
steps
required
for
compliance
with
the
Order
of
the
High
Court
on
the
future
of
the
ZEP,”
Schreiber
stated.

The
extension
comes
with
several
key
provisions
to
provide
fair
treatment
for
ZEP
holders
during
the
transition
period
in
accordance
with
the
Immigration
Act,
read
together
with
the
Immigration
Regulations,
2014.

These
include:

1.
Validity
of
Existing
Permits
where
all
existing
ZEPs
will
remain
valid
for
the
next
12
months,
making
sure
permit
holders
will
not
face
deportation
or
arrest
for
not
having
a
valid
exemption
certificate
during
this
period.

2.
No
Deportation:
ZEP
holders
will
not
be
detained,
deported,
or
ordered
to
depart
South
Africa
solely
based
on
the
validity
of
their
permits,
as
long
as
they
are
otherwise
complying
with
the
Immigration
Act.

3.
Ease
of
Entry
and
Exit:
ZEP
holders
will
be
permitted
to
enter
and
exit
South
Africa,
provided
they
meet
all
other
requirements
for
entry,
except
for
the
possession
of
a
valid
visa.

4.
Visa
Applications:
ZEP
holders
will
not
be
required
to
produce
a
valid
exemption
certificate,
visa,
or
authorisation
letter
when
applying
for
temporary
visas
or
permits.

Minister
Schreiber
highlighted
the
importance
of
allowing
a
fair
process
for
all
affected
individuals,
noting
it
provides
ZEP
holders
with
the
security
and
clarity
they
need,
while
also
allowing
time
for
the
required
consultations
and
legal
processes
to
unfold.

The
Home
Affairs
Ministry
has
directed
any
queries
related
to
the
directive
to
be
sent
to
its
contact
center
for
further
assistance.

The
extension
of
the
ZEP
is
seen
as
a
temporary
but
critical
measure
in
addressing
the
challenging
situation
facing
Zimbabwean
nationals
in
South
Africa,
offering
a
reprieve
for
the
one-year
period
while
consultations
on
the
future
of
the
programme
continue.

For
more
information,
ZEP
holders
are
encouraged
to
contact
the
Department
of
Home
Affairs
at hacc@dha.gov.za.

On
1
December
2023,
former
Minister
of
Home
Affairs
(Minister),
Dr
Aaron
Motsoaledi,
announced
his
decision
to
grant
an
exemption
to
foreign
nationals
in
possession
of
either
a
ZEP
or
a
Lesotho
Exemption
Permit
(LEP).

In
terms
of
the
announcement,
the
Minister
extended
the
validity
of
ZEPs
and
LEPs
for
an
additional
period
of
12
months,
that
was
from
29
November
2023
to
29
November
2024,
which
decision
was
gazetted
on
4
December
2023.

The
purpose
of
this
extension
was
to
allow
holders
of
a
ZEP
or
LEP
an
opportunity
to
apply
for
a
new
exemption
permit
that
would
be
issued
with
an
expiry
date
of
29
November
2025.

All
ZEP
and
LEP
holders
were
accordingly
allowed
to
continue
working
and
residing
in
South
Africa
until
at
least
29
November
2024,
unless
they
obtain
new
exemption
permits
that
will
allow
them
to
reside
and
work
in
South
Africa
as
if
they
were
permanent
residents
until
29
November
2025.

HARARE
–
A
24-year-old
Silobela
woman
faces
murder
after
she
allegedly
struck
her
husband
with
a
pot
on
the
head
further
attacking
him
with
a
burning
log
during
an
ill-fated
domestic
dispute.

The
incident
was
confirmed
by
police
via
the
law
enforcement
organisation’s
official
social
media
handles.

According
to
the
statement,
“police
in
Kwekwe
arrested
Liona
Mbulawa,
24,
in
connection
with
a
case
of
murder
which
occurred
at
Makande
Village,
Malisa,
Silobela
on
27
November
2024
in
which
her
husband
Brighton
Dube,
29,
died.

“The
suspect
hit
the
victim
with
a
pot
on
the
head
before
striking
him
with
burning
log,
several
times
all
over
the
body,
after
a
domestic
dispute.”

The
incident
happened
just
as
the
nation
observes
the
annual
16
Days
of
Activism
Against
Gender
Based
Violence.

HARARE
–
Leading
grocery
retailer,
Choppies
Enterprises
Limited
has
announced
plans
to
cease
its
operations
in
Zimbabwe
citing,
among
other
reasons,
competition
from
the
informal
sector.

In
a
statement,
the
Botswana
listed
firm
owned
by
Nanavac
(Pty)
Ltd,
said
it
has
started
negotiations
aimed
at
selling
the
company.

“The
board
of
directors
of
Choppies
(“Board”)
hereby
advises
all
shareholders
that
the
Company
has
entered
into
discussions
regarding
a
possible
sale
of
the
business
operations
of
Nanavac
(Pty)
Ltd
trading
as
Choppies
Zimbabwe
for
cash
(“Possible
Sale”),
which,
if
successfully
concluded,
could
have
an
impact
on
the
Company’s
share
price,”
said
the
company,
which
has
30
stores
in
Zimbabwe.

Added
the
retailer,
“The
Possible
Sale,
which
is
subject
to
certain
conditions
and
regulatory
approval,
is
aligned
to
the
strategic
intent
of
Choppies
to
focus
on
profitable
retail.

“In
Zimbabwe,
over
the
last
two
years,
there
has
been
a
significant
shift
to
the
informal
retail
sector,
leaving
the
formal
retail
sector
to
battle
a
reduction
of
up
to
30%
in
footfall
and
having
to
compete
with
the
informal
sector.”

Zimbabwe
has,
in
the
recent
few
years,
seen
the
proliferation
of
both
registered
and
unregistered
tuckshops
in
both
the
residential
areas
and
the
CBDs.

While
the
formal
shops
are
obliged
to
follow
scrupulous
business
conduct
with
heavy
penalties
hanging
above
their
heads
for
malpractices,
the
corner
shops
are
often
let
off
the
hook,
allowing
them
to
charge
their
goods
in
hard
currency.

Grocery
vendors,
likewise
have
emerged
as
another
layer
of
competition
and
are
found
on
city
pavements,
including
on
supermarket
verandas.

Competitors
of
big
shops
in
the
informal
sector
hardly
pay
any
tax
or
rentals,
leaving
them
with
the
leeway
to
vary
their
prices
downwards
where
necessary.

Choppies
added
in
its
statement,
“While
we
believe
in
the
country’s
long-term
viability,
Choppies
as
a
group
needs
more
capital
to
support
its
Zimbabwean
operations
for
extended
periods
and
has
already
invested
significant
capital
to
support
the
operations.

“Due
to
the
factors
mentioned
above
we
have
decided
to
exit
the
country.

“Shareholders
are
cautioned
that
there
is
no
certainty
at
this
stage
that
the
discussions
will
lead
to
a
formal
transaction,
and
approval
from
the
Zimbabwean
Competition
and
Tariff
Commission
is
required.

“The
company
advised
shareholders
“to
exercise
caution
when
trading
in
their
Choppies
shares
until
a
further
announcement
is
made”.

HARARE
–
Parliament
has
issued
an
apology
to
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa
and
the
nation
following
an
embarrassing
power
outage
at
the
New
Parliament
Building
during
the
closing
remarks
of
Finance
Minister
Mthuli
Ncube’s
2025
national
budget
presentation
on
Thursday.

The
incident
saw
Mnangagwa
being
escorted
out
of
the
Chinese
built
facility
in
the
darkness
after
parliament’s
generators
took
moments
to
come
to
life.

ZESA
spokesman
George
Manyaya
immediately
attributed
the
incident
to
a
fault
which,
he
said,
had
been
caused
by
lightning.

Manyaya
said
“it’s
an
act
of
nature
and
definitely
not
load
shedding
as
is
being
suggested
on
social
media”.

In
a
statement,
parliament
also
apologised
to
Mnangagwa
saying
information
at
hand
indicated
that
thunderstorms
and
high
winds
affected
overhead
lines
resulting
in
tripping
at
a
132kv
feeder
that
supplies
power
to
a
substation
which
feeds
power
to
Mt
Hampden.

The
fault,
according
to
parliament,
also
affected
areas
neighbouring
the
Mt
Hampden
building
at
around
3.25PM.

Parliament
said
the
standby
generator
at
the
building
was
equally
affected
by
the
power
surge
resulting
in
the
generator
losing
its
memory
settings.

The
incident
would
not
have
happened
at
a
worse
time
than
a
period
in
which
the
entire
nation
and
the
world’s
attention
focussed
on
how
Zimbabwe
sought
to
address
its
myriad
economic
challenges
through
its
budget.

Zimbabwe
has
endured
recurrent
power
woes
which
have
seen
both
businesses
and
households
spend
long
periods
without
the
critical
resource
everyday.

While
the
recurrent
power
shortages
have
often
been
linked
to
depleting
water
levels
at
Lake
Kariba,
the
country’s
main
source
of
power
in
decades
–
by
government,
the
incident
on
Thursday
spotlighted
on
the
Zimbabwean
authorities’
failures
to
find
lasting
solutions
to
the
crisis.

Presenting
the
2025
National
Budget
on
Thursday,
Finance
Minister
Mthuli
Ncube
revealed
that
the
newly
rebuilt
Mbare
Musika
will
provide
space
for
at
least
10,000
traders.
Said
Ncube:

Following
the
fire
outbreak
that
completely
destroyed
Mbare
Musika,
Government
in
partnership
with
the
private
sector,
through
a
PPP
arrangement
has
started
the
reconstruction
process
of
a
modern
market
facility,
capable
of
accommodating
at
least
10
000
SME
traders.

The
reconstruction
aims
to
provide
a
safer
and
more
organised
environment
for
vendors,
while
revitalising
the
area
as
a
thriving
commercial
hub.

Scheduled
to
begin
in
November
2024,
the
reconstruction
is
expected
to
take
seven
months
to
complete.

Ncube
added
that
the
government,
in
partnership
with
the
Harare
City
Council,
has
provided
temporary
trading
spaces
for
vendors
to
continue
operating
while
the
reconstruction
of
Mbare
Musika
is
underway. He
said:

During
the
reconstruction
phase,
Government
through
the
Harare
City
Council
has
provided
temporary
trading
space
for
vendors,
which
is
located
at
opposite
Carter
House
to
enable
traders
to
continue
with
their
trading
operations.

This
reconstruction
project
is
part
of
the
Government’s
“Building
Back
Better”
initiative,
that
was
launched
following
the
declaration
by
His
Excellency,
the
President,
Dr.
E.
D
Mnangagwa
of
the
fire
at
Mbare
Musika
a
State
of
National
Disaster.

Ncube
added
that
the
reconstruction
of
Mbare
Musika
is
a
vital
initiative
aimed
at
strengthening
the
resilience
and
efficiency
of
Zimbabwe’s
markets,
setting
a
benchmark
for
the
development
of
future
market
infrastructure
across
the
country.

Post
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in:

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