ZEP: Zim government will only assist valid permit holders

As the 30 June deadline for the expiry of the Zimbabwe exemption permit (ZEP) looms, Zimbabwe’s ambassador to South Africa David Hamadziripi said yesterday the government will only assist those who hold the ZEP permit and want to return home, but those without permits have to fend for themselves.

The Zimbabwean government urged those with the permits who wish to return home to get in touch with the Zimbabwe embassy and the consulates for assistance.

Mapping ZEP

“The mapping exercises will be conducted in February and March across SA. This exercise is composed of two parts, the first being an online registration, while the second one involves visits by multisectoral teams designated to areas across South Africa,” Hamadziripi said.

“This is for those who are ZEP holders. There are processes which are conducted by the SA government to deal with those who are undocumented.

“There are deportations which are continuously being undertaken. When the police arrest an irregular Zimbabwean there are processes we follow to enable the government of SA to deport that individual.”

Immigration ‘a voluntary decision’

The Zimbabwe government would not force anyone with permits to go home.

“Immigration is an individual and a voluntary decision. As far as those who hold the ZEP in South Africa decide to stay here or go elsewhere, that is their decision. Those who wish to get any form of assistance to return to Zimbabwe are invited to register,” Hamadziripi said.

The bid to assist those wishing to go home was to avoid having Zimbabwean nationals stranded in the streets of SA, he added.

“We are merely anticipating that come June, they will not be able to renew their visas and their permits. We do not wish at the end of June to have a situation where individuals are stranded and are unable to go home.

“Some ZEP holders have decided they want to go home and they need assistance and these are the ones we are addressing. The government of Zimbabwe is asking for them to take advantage of the assistance.”

SA over Zim

Some Zimbabweans have said they would rather suffer in South Africa than go back home because of the economic situation.

In response to this, Hamadziripi said: “We have a country where people are surviving like anyone else in any other country.

“We may have problems but we have a country with people and it is an individual decision on whether they want to stay here to go back home,” he said.

A ‘political ploy’

The move by the Zimbabwean government has been seen by some observers as a political ploy to make people think the government cares ahead of the country’s general elections later this year.

Hamadziripi denied the allegations, saying: “We are talking about people’s lives here and certainly, the government of Zimbabwe cannot sit and observe a situation that can cause greater indignity to our people.”

He also appealed to Zimbabwean nationals who are in SA to abide by the laws of the republic.

Helen Suzman Foundation director Nicole Fritz said the termination of the ZEP was yet another iteration of continual scapegoating by public officials and politicians which will affect about 178 000 Zimbabweans who have lived and worked in SA for over a decade