Pretoria – The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has clarified that Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders and their Lesotho counterparts are not currently eligible to apply for permanent residency, despite recent media reports suggesting otherwise.
This follows confusion sparked by remarks from Deputy Home Affairs Minister Njabulo Nzuza, who indicated that permit holders “should be looking at other legal pathways” to remain in South Africa.
The department has since corrected this, saying no such policy change has been made.
DHA said consultations are still underway on a revised white paper covering citizenship, immigration, and refugee policy, and confirmed there has been no change to the legal status of the permits or the rights of holders.
The department reiterated that ZEP holders do not qualify for permanent residency under current conditions, and stressed that any future decisions will follow a “fair, transparent, and legally sound” process.
The ZEP programme, which began in 2009 as a temporary arrangement for Zimbabwean nationals, has been extended multiple times over the past 17 years.
The current extension runs until May 2027 following a legal challenge that led to government revisions of its termination plan.
Home Affairs says a final report with recommendations on the long-term future of the permits will be submitted to Cabinet by the end of the 2026/27 financial year.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
