Relief for 178,000 Zimbabweans as South Africa Officially Extends ZEP Permit to May 2027

JOHANNESBURG – In a landmark decision that brings certainty to nearly 178,000 individuals, South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Dr. Leon Schreiber, has formally extended the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) regime. The permits, which were set to expire on 28 November 2025, will now remain valid until 28 May 2027.

The announcement was made through Minister’s Immigration Directive No. 21 of 2025, published in the Government Gazette on 7 October 2025. This move grants ZEP holders a critical 18-month grace period and robust protections while the government devises a long-term solution.

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Key Protections and Provisions for ZEP Holders

Beyond the simple extension, the gazette outlines specific, legally binding protections for permit holders. According to the directive, during this extension period:

• Protection from Arrest and Deportation: No ZEP holder may be "arrested, ordered to depart, or be detained for purposes of deportation or deported" for reasons related to not having a valid exemption certificate.
• Freedom to Travel: Holders are permitted to enter into or depart from South Africa, provided they comply with all other standard entry requirements, even without a valid visa endorsed in their passport.
• Streamlined Visa Applications: When applying for any other category of temporary visa, ZEP holders will not be required to produce a valid exemption certificate, removing a significant bureaucratic hurdle.

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The Path to a Long-Term Solution

Minister Schreiber attributed the decision to the work of the newly appointed Immigration Advisory Board (IAB), which began its work on 1 April 2025. The IAB is tasked with a comprehensive review and stakeholder consultation process to determine the future of the ZEP programme.

"The IAB has met on several occasions and deliberated amongst themselves on the immediate future and a long-term solution for holders of ZEP permits," the directive states. "Critical stakeholders will need to be part of a consultation process."

This 18-month window is designed to allow for these thorough consultations, aiming to move away from repeated short-term extensions and towards a sustainable, permanent policy for the integration of long-term Zimbabwean residents.

A Decade-Long Programme at a Crossroads

The ZEP programme, and its predecessors (the Dispensation for Zimbabweans Project and the Zimbabwean Special Permit), were first initiated in 2009. They were designed to regularise the status of thousands of Zimbabwean nationals who fled economic and political instability in their home country.

The programme has been a point of significant legal and public debate, with human rights organisations like the Helen Suzman Foundation advocating fiercely for the rights and protection of permit holders, many of whom have built lives, families, and businesses in South Africa over the past decade.

The announcement by Minister Schreiber, a member of the Democratic Alliance (DA), marks a decisive shift from the previous administration's approach and provides a temporary respite for a community that has lived in a state of uncertainty.

ZEP holders are advised to keep a copy of the Government Gazette notice (No. 53484) for their records and to monitor official channels from the Department of Home Affairs for further updates on the consultation process and application procedures for the extended permit.