The
new
deadline,
now
set
for
30
September,
provides
temporary
relief
for
thousands
of
Zimbabweans
who
have
been
left
in
limbo
as
authorities
work
through
a
backlog
of
visa
and
permit
applications.
Home
Affairs
Minister
Dr
Leon
Schreiber
announced
the
extension
on
Tuesday
under
Immigration
Directive
Number
4
of
2025.
He
acknowledged
that
despite
efforts
to
clear
outstanding
applications,
many
remain
unprocessed
due
to
administrative
delays.
“The
Department
of
Home
Affairs
has
been
working
to
resolve
the
backlog
in
its
visa
and
permitting
system.
However,
many
applications
will
not
be
ready
for
collection
before
the
31
March
deadline
due
to
delays
in
printing
and
processing,”
Schreiber
said.
The
decision
is
particularly
significant
for
Zimbabweans
on
the
ZEP,
a
special
dispensation
permit
that
has
been
in
place
since
2009.
Originally
introduced
as
the
Dispensation
of
Zimbabweans
Project
(DZP),
it
was
later
restructured
into
the
Zimbabwe
Special
Permit
(ZSP)
in
2014
and
the
current
ZEP
in
2017.
The
ZEP
has
provided
a
legal
pathway
for
Zimbabweans
who
moved
to
South
Africa,
but
its
future
remains
uncertain.
The
South
African
government
has
indicated
plans
to
phase
out
exemption
permits,
urging
Zimbabweans
to
apply
for
mainstream
visas
or
consider
returning
home.
Around
178,000
Zimbabweans
were
eligible
to
apply
for
new
exemption
permits,
which
are
set
to
expire
at
the
end
of
November.
However,
processing
delays
have
left
many
waiting
for
clarity
on
their
legal
status.
Under
the
latest
directive,
ZEP
holders
and
other
affected
visa
applicants
will
not
be
declared
undesirable
if
they
choose
to
leave
South
Africa
before
30
September.
Those
awaiting
the
outcome
of
waiver
applications
can
travel
in
and
out
of
the
country
without
penalty
until
then.
However,
non-visa-exempt
individuals
with
pending
waiver
applications
must
apply
for
a
port
of
entry
visa
before
re-entering
South
Africa.
The
directive
also
applies
to
long-term
visa
applicants
but
does
not
cover
those
awaiting
permanent
residence
decisions.
Only
foreign
nationals
who
have
legally
entered
South
Africa
and
submitted
their
applications
via
VFS
Global,
with
verifiable
proof
of
submission,
will
qualify
for
this
concession.
Post
published
in:
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