South Africa's Home Affairs clarifies ZEP holders' status amid permanent residency reports
via The Citizen2 min read
South Africa's Department of Home Affairs DHA has clarified that Zimbabwean Exemption Permit ZEP holders and their Lesotho equivalents are not yet eligible to apply for permanent residency. This statement came after earlier media reports, stemming from comments by Deputy Home Affairs Minister Njabulo Nzuza, suggested such a possibility. The DHA confirmed on Wednesday that consultations on the future of these permits are ongoing, and there has been no change in their status or implications for holders. The department reiterated that ZEP holders do not qualify for permanent residence permits under the current conditions. The permits, which have a 17-year history, were last extended to expire in May 2027 following a 2023 court ruling that deemed their discontinuation unconstitutional. The DHA is currently engaged in consultations to ensure a "fair, transparent, and legally sound" final outcome, with a detailed report and recommendations to be presented to Cabinet by the end of the 2026-27 financial year.
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Must ReadThe Constitutional Court ruled on May 8, 2026, that Parliament acted irrationally in December 2022 by rejecting the referral of a Section 89 panel report to an impeachment committee. This decision mandates the National Assembly to establish an impeachment committee, as outlined in Rule 129I, to investigate President Cyril Ramaphosa. The inquiry will focus on three potential grounds for removal: serious violation of the constitution or law, serious misconduct, or inability to perform duties. Key aspects of the investigation will likely include the origin of $580,000 stolen from Ramaphosa's Phala Phala game farm in February 2020, which he stated was payment for buffaloes to Sudanese businessman Hazim Mustafa. Questions persist regarding the cash transaction, the non-delivery of the buffaloes, and why the money was not returned. The inquiry will also examine allegations of a cover-up, including the failure to report the burglary to the South African Police Service and the alleged involvement of Wally Rhoode, head of the Presidential Protection Service, in a cover-up and unlawful cross-border activities. The storage of the cash for 44 days without declaration to the South African Reserve Bank, violating Exchange Control Regulations, will also be scrutinized. Following the committee's report, the National Assembly will vote on removal, requiring a two-thirds majority of 267 votes. The current Government of National Unity, comprising the ANC and its partners, holds 287 seats, indic
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