PRETORIA – South Africa’s Ministry of Home Affairs has announced an extension of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP), which were set to expire at the end of November this year.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber made the announcement in Government Gazette No. 53484, published on Tuesday.
Under Ministerial Immigration Directive No. 21 of 2025, the validity of the permits has been extended until May 28, 2027, in terms of section 31(2)(b) of South Africa’s Immigration Act.
“I have decided to extend the validity of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) until May 28, 2027,” Dr. Schreiber stated in the Gazette.
He said the Immigration Advisory Board (IAB), appointed on April 1, 2025, has been actively discussing long-term solutions for ZEP holders and emphasized the importance of consulting key stakeholders in the process.
Until those consultations are completed, the existing permits will remain valid for an additional 18 months beyond the current expiry date of November 28, 2025.
Some 250,000 Zimbabweans fleeing political and economic crises at home were granted four-year work visas in 2009. This was an attempt by South Africa to account for Zimbabweans living illegally in Africa’s most industrialised country.
The special visas have been repeatedly renewed.
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