By: Natasha Archary

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has once again extended the deadline for the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) until 31 December 2023.
The extension comes due to the Department requiring additional time to process an increase in applications for waivers.
“The Minister took into consideration the said factors, including (to a certain extent) submissions received from the affected Zimbabwean nationals, relevant officials of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and other interested parties and decided to issue another Immigration Directive, extending the validity of Zimbabwean exemption permits for a further period of 6 months, ending on 31 December 2023.”
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on the ZEP extension deadline
Last year the Department extended the deadline from 31 December 2022 to 30 June 2023.
At the time the Department said there were nearly 180 000 Zimbabwean nationals that were living in South Africa, who were facing deportation at the end of the year if they were unable to find alternative permits which would allow them to remain in the country.
Under the extension, no holder of a valid ZEP may be arrested, ordered to depart the country or be detained for deportation for any reason related to them not having a valid exemption permit.
The new 6-month extension will be published in the Extraordinary Government Gazette, on Thursday, 08 June.
Minister Motsoaledi calls upon all interested parties to take into consideration the said Directive in their decision-making processes.
The Minister will be addressing a letter to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation requesting her to issue a note verbale to bring the Directive to the attention of His Excellency, the Ambassador of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
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