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 <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/sa-returnees-government-conducts-needs-assessment-exercise/">Chronicle</a> 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:
<blockquote>
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.
</blockquote>
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.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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ZEP: Govt Conducts Needs Assessment For South African Returnees

The expiry of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) on 30 June 2023 will result in tens of thousands of Zimbabweans being forced to return home from South Africa.
This will force thousands of Zimbabwean schoolchildren to leave South Africa and enroll at local schools.
Last month, a full bench in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria reserved its judgement in the case brought by the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit Holders (ZEPHA) and other civil society organisations against the South African Government.
ZEPHA is seeking permanent residence in South Africa for ZEP holders.
But with less than two months before the expiry of ZEP, the 178 000 beneficiaries and their children face an uncertain future.
In Zimbabwe, the Second Term commenced this Monday, 08 May, and the children of ZEP holders, who are likely set to return home mid-term, may find it difficult to adapt to the local education system.
No one knows whether the Gauteng High Court will nullify the discontinuation of ZEP by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs or validate the decision which heightens the sense of uncertainty for ZEP holders.
If you are a ZEP holder or know someone who is a ZEP holder, kindly share how you/ they are preparing for your / their kids’ education in light of the imminent expiry of the special permit n the comments section below.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

School Going Children Of ZEP Holders Face Uncertain Future

A full bench in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has reserved its judgement in the case brought by the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit Holders (ZEPHA) and other civil society organisations against the state, <a href="https://www.groundup.org.za/article/judgment-reserved-in-case-to-decide-future-zimbabweans-in-south-africa/">reported GroundUp</a>.
ZEPHA is seeking permanent residence in South Africa for Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders.
ZEPHA had previously asked for ZEP holders to be given permanent residence but this was then changed to ask the court to allow them to apply for permanent residence, as required by the Immigration Act.
ZEPHA had also asked for the Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi’s decision to terminate the ZEP scheme to be set aside as unlawful and invalid.
Arguing for the state, advocate Myron Dewrance said the ZEP permit specifically prohibited the holder from applying for permanent residence.
However, Advocate Simba Chitando, representing ZEPHA, argued that the Immigration Act makes provision for those residing in South Africa under a variety of visa programmes to apply for permanent residence and that this right should be granted to ZEP holders.
<a href="https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/high-court-reserves-ruling-in-zimbabwe-exemption-permit-case/">SABC News</a> quoted Presiding Officer Justice Colleen Collis as saying:
<blockquote>
We have concluded during our brief adjournment that in order to do justice to the merits of this application as well as the importance of the application to the parties concerned and the urgency of this application that it would be prudent rather reserve our ruling.
We are aware that the litigants before the court would want to have finalisation of their pending application before the 30th of June 2023 so we will have that in mind.
</blockquote>
The exemption permit system was introduced in 2009 under the Dispensation of Zimbabweans Project (DZP).
It allowed some 250 000 Zimbabweans unlawfully in South Africa to regularise their status, allowing them to live, work and study in South Africa.
In 2014, the DZP was renamed the Zimbabwe Special Permit (ZSP). The name changed again three years later to Zimbabwe Exemption Permit or ZEP.
In September 2022, South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs extended the permit which was due to expire on December 31, for a further six months to June 30, 2023.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Gauteng High Court Reserves Judgement In Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Case

The government has said a mapping exercise in South Africa has revealed that Zimbabwe Exemption Permit holders (ZEPs) have low interest in returning to the country, <a href="https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/zimbabwe-to-give-counselling-to-zep-holders-returning-home-from-sa-20230405">reported News24</a>.
The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Service and Social Welfare, Simon Masanga, said the government will offer counselling for returnees after the expiry of their permits in South Africa.
In a speech presented at a government counselling and psychological workshop in Bulawayo, the second-largest city in the country, Masanga said:
<blockquote>
Sharpening our counselling skills is a way in which these committees (receiving the returnees) can be capacitated.
This training will empower the frontline officers to be equipped with skills to handle the returnees upon and post-arrival.
</blockquote>
This comes as Zimbabwe was ranked as the fourth unhappiest country in the world by the World Happiness Report for 2023.
The ZEP permits were meant to expire in December last year but a six-month extension was granted to 30 June 2023.
An estimated 180 000 Zimbabweans are in South Africa on ZEPs and by December last year, fewer than 10% had applied for the available mainstream visas.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

"ZEP Holders Unwilling To Return To Zimbabwe"

Members of Operation Dudula, a South African anti-foreigner, anti-illegal immigration group, on Monday demonstrated outside the Pretoria High Court, opposing the Zimbabwe exemption permit (ZEP) extension.
They sang and marched outside the high court leading to the closure of a section of Madiba Street.
<a href="https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2023-02-06-operation-dudula-takes-to-the-streets-over-zimbabwe-permit-extension/">TimesLive</a> quoted national deputy chairperson of Operation Dudula Dan Radebe as saying:
<blockquote>
We are here to demonstrate our dissatisfaction with the extensions of ZEPs because the moment you extend it for another six months, it means you are saying to South Africans, they have become accustomed to poverty, so they can hold on for another six months, while these foreigners take South African jobs and things like that.
We are here to demonstrate to the court that we are not happy with the extension of the ZEP, and this is not limited to the ZEP.
Today is also about us applying to be part of the proceedings.
</blockquote>
Operation Dudula wants to join a court application by the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) that seeks a review of the lawfulness of the decision by SA Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to terminate the ZEP.
HSF wants the high court in Pretoria to declare the decision by Motsoaledi to terminate the ZEP and grant a limited extension of 12 months unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid.
Motsoaledi is opposing the application by HSF challenging the termination of the ZEP.
HSF is still pursuing its legal challenge, despite Motsoaledi extending the permit by another six months from the initial 12-months extension that expired on 31 December 2022 to 30 June 2023.
Operation Dudula has applied to the court to join as a respondent in the application.

Operation Dudula Demonstrate At Pretoria High Court Over Zimbabwe Permit Extension

The government has started re-registering and regularising some private schools that it had shut down last year.
This is being done to help absorb thousands of South Africa-based learners likely to join their parents coming back home in the coming months following the expiry of their Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEPs).
Speaking to <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200006997/govt-re-registers-closed-schools-to-absorb-returnees-children">NewsDay,</a> Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Director of Communications and Advocacy, Taungana Ndoro, said:
<blockquote>
Processes are underway to put in place measures to adopt the learners into local schools.
We have those schools that we call non-governmental or private schools that are in the process of being registered and regularised, and the government is building more schools.
We are also encouraging private players to play their role and make sure we have enough schools to cater for the deficit, particularly in the highly-populated areas.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe has a student population of six million but has a deficit of 3 000 schools.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou said that local schools will struggle to accommodate the children of returnees. Zhou said:
<blockquote>
We will have bloated classes. Resources like chairs, books and others will also be in shortage.
We would have hoped that the government would engage its South African counterpart for a gradual return of our people instead of a once-off flooding of returnees.
We know that an additional number of learners will worsen the plight of learners in schools.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe Teachers Association secretary-general Goodwill Taderera said:
<blockquote>
No doubt those learners will be crammed in classes because already the teacher-pupil ratio was abnormally high.
Teachers are very committed but the government should now take this issue seriously to avoid worsening the situation.
</blockquote>

Govt Says It Will Regularise Deregistered Schools To Absorb Children Of ZEP Holders

The South African government says it will not oppose a court application by representatives of children of Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders who are in school.
Some schools in South Africa were preventing the learners from registering due to the uncertain legal status of their parents.
Last week, the ZEP Holders Association (ZEPHA) filed an urgent application in the Pretoria High Court claiming that children of ZEP holders, who had grown up and attended school in SA, were being denied registration at a number of schools in SA.
Cited as respondents were the ministers and departments of basic education and home affairs, as well as Rand Park High School in Johannesburg, one of several schools that has reportedly refused registration to children of ZEP holders. Said ZEPHA in a statement:
<blockquote>
After an exchange of correspondence with the schools and the government, it became apparent that the affected children cannot acquire a study permit, which is a requirement for registration, because their parents are ZEP holders, and the ZEP was terminated on 31 December 2021.
</blockquote>
The state attorney informed ZEPHA’s legal team on Friday that it would not oppose the urgent application, and had instructed Rand Park High School to enroll one of the students denied registration.
The state attorney asked that the matter be removed from the court roll, but ZEPHA has refused.
ZEPHA said it wants the court to make an order that provides blanket protection for all affected students.
Advocate Simba Chitando, who is representing ZEPHA in this case, said:
We’re obviously happy that the government has wisely decided not to oppose this application in court.
<blockquote>
Our instructions are to proceed for an order of court that will assist all affected ZEP children, and not just a few.
Unfortunately, there is widespread xenophobia in South Africa, even in the administrative bodies of academic institutions, coupled with confusion as to the legality of registering students without a study permit, for no fault on the part of the affected children, which is a matter that can only be resolved for the benefit of the public by a binding court order.
</blockquote>
The decision by the SA government not to oppose the urgent application is seen as a major victory for the rights of ZEP holders in SA. | <a href="https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/south-africa/reprieve-for-zimbabwean-students-denied-school-registration-in-sa/">Moneyweb</a>

Reprieve For Zimbabwean Learners Denied School Registration In South Africa

South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that expired Zimbabwean exemption permit (ZEP) holders who do not apply to be in the country legally will be punished if they remain in SA after the grace period runs out.
Motsoaledi said this on Tuesday when he appeared in parliament to provide an update on the ZEP process underway. He said:
<blockquote>
The ball is in their court, not in the government’s court. We will deal with them the same way we deal with someone who is in the country illegally and overstayed. There is punishment for that.
</blockquote>
Motsoaledi explained that there are two applications the Department of Home Affairs is expecting from expired Zimbabwean exemption permit (ZEP) holders. He said:
<blockquote>
There are two applications we are expecting from Zimbabweans, namely the visa in terms of the Immigration Act and an application for a waiver where an applicant may say these are their circumstances and they ask for a waiver from what the government has directed them to do.
We realised that work needed experts because it is a special dispensation, so I appointed a team of six, including three officials who were dealing with the reviewing of permits and three senior councils from the private sector.
They have had several meetings to outline how the work is going to be done so there is a common understanding and they follow similar standards when they start working.
</blockquote>
Motsoaledi insisted that the South African government was not targetting Zimbabweans. He said:
<blockquote>
I know people say we are only targeting Zimbabweans, but the Basotho permit is expiring at the end of December 2023.
The Zimbabwean permits expired in December 2021. This is because they were issued at different times.
</blockquote>
| <a href="https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2022-09-13-expired-zim-exemption-permit-holders-who-dont-apply-for-legal-status-will-be-punished-says-motsoaledi/">TimesLIVE</a>

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