Home Affairs Challenges Court Ruling on Zimbabwean Exemption Permit Termination

The Department of Home Affairs in South Africa is preparing to contest a court ruling that judged the termination of the government's Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) programme as illegal. The appeal is set to be brought forward this Monday.

In a court session in Pretoria in June, the department and its head, Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, were rebuked for not adhering to the appropriate protocols in ending the programme. The ZEP regime, which has enabled over 178,000 Zimbabwean nationals to reside and find employment in South Africa, was prolonged for an additional year, granting the minister sufficient time to trace a fair approach concluding the operation.

The forthcoming appeal underscores the Department's readiness to investigate the legal validity of the court's decision, a move expected to further fuel the ongoing controversy surrounding immigration policies affecting Zimbabwean nationals in South Africa.