ZEP: Govt Conducts Needs Assessment For South African Returnees
The Government is working with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to conduct a nationwide needs assessment and sensitisation exercise in preparation for the return of thousands of Zimbabweans from South Africa whose Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) are set to expire on 30 June this year.
The Chronicle reported that five teams have been deployed to carry out the exercise which started on Sunday and will end this coming Sunday.
The teams will be visiting various Government departments, institutions and communities for data collection.
The teams visited Gwanda District for the data collection on Wednesday and on Friday, the team will move to Bulawayo while on Saturday it will be in Nkayi.
The teams will also visit Mutoko, Mutare, Chipinge, Buhera, Zaka, Mwenezi, Masvingo, Gutu, Kwekwe, Gokwe, Kadoma, Chegutu, Zvishavane, Chitungwiza, Epworth, Harare and Goromonzi.
In a statement, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Permanent Secretary James Manzou explained the main objective of the needs assessment. He said:
As you would know, South Africa will not renew the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits expiring on 30 June 2023.
In response, the Government has put in place a repatriation and reintegration plan to cater for the anticipated arrival of hundreds of Zimbabwean citizens by 30 June.
As part of preparations for the arrival of those Zimbabweans, the Technical Committee on the return of Zimbabweans from South Africa will carry out a joint needs assessment and sensitisation exercise together with International Organisation for Migration across the country.
The teams that will go around the country are drawn from various Government departments so as to widen the scope of this exercise.
The Zimbabwe Exemption Permit system was introduced more than a decade ago to regularise the status of Zimbabweans who were illegally in SA due to political and economic hardships at home.
The Department of Home Affairs last year announced that the ZEP system would be terminated in June 2023, by which time ZEP holders would have to apply for “regular” SA visas.
Several Lesotho nationals living and working under the so-called Lesotho Exemption Permit have likewise been told that their services are no longer required.
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