Zimbabwe exemption permit not for new applicants

New permit is valid until end of 2021.

Many undocumented Zimbabweans working in South Africa had hoped that the permit would be extended to new applicants.

The special permit was approved in April 2009 to document Zimbabweans in South Africa illegally. It expires on December 31 this year. On August 1‚ Cabinet gave the green light to the Department of Home Affairs to open a reapplication process for current special permit holders under certain conditions.

Chairman of the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa Ngqabutho Nicholas Mabhena said: “We want to extend our gratitude to the minister and the South African government for allowing us to remain in South Africa for the next four years.

“We would have wished that the minister would have considered the many undocumented Zimbabweans who are working in South Africa. We hope the minister will at some point attend to this request.”

He encouraged holders of the special permit to apply in time for the exemption permit. APPLICATION PROCESS The ZEP application process will begin online on September 15 through the Viza Facilitation Service (VSF) website. The deadline for application submissions is November 30.

Administrative fees are R1 090. Applicants will be allocated at the VFS offices from October 1. Applicants need to submit a Zimbabwean passport‚ evidence of employment in the case of a work permit‚ evidence of business in the case of an application for a business permit‚ and evidence of admission letter from a recognised learning institution in the case of a study permit.

In her media statement‚ Mkhize said the exemption permit does not entitle the holder the right to apply for permanent residence irrespective of the period of stay in South Africa

A person on a special permit can travel using the exemption permit receipt and the expired special permit until the exemption permit is issued.

ZSP holders may apply for the exemption permit at:

• Durban: Musgrave towers‚ Musgrave Shopping mall‚ 5th Floor Musgrave.

• Cape Town: 2 Long Street‚ 7th Floor.

• Port Elizabeth: Office 7C‚ 1st floor‚ Corner 17th Avenue and Main Road. Johannesburg: The link‚ Old Pretoria Road‚ Halfway House‚ Midrand. Rustenburg: Corner of Boom and Fatima Bayet Street.

• Kimberly: Unit 3‚ Building 2‚ Agri Office Park‚ N12.

• Polokwane: Thornhill Shopping Centre‚ Veldspaat and Munnik Avenue‚ Bendor Park. • Nelspruit: Office 5F‚ Nedbank Building‚ 30 Brown Street.

• Bloemfontein: Suit 4‚ The Park‚ 14 Reid Street‚ Westdene. • George: Unit 5 Eagle View‚ Progress Street.

 This article was first published on GroundUp