Motsoaledi welcomes decision by court to strike the ZEP matter off the roll

Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi has welcomed the decision by the High Court in Pretoria to strike off the roll, an urgent application by Zimbabwe Exemption Permit or ZEP holders, for lack of urgency.

The application was an attempt to overturn a decision by the minister to not renew the permits, and impose a 12-month grace period during which ZEP holders have to regularise their stay through normal immigration laws of the country.

Two groups approached the court to compel the department to grant ZEP holders permanent residency and to issue them with visas.

On Tuesday, the court ruled in favour of the minister and removed the matter from the roll.

At the beginning of the month, the South African government scrapped Zimbabwean Exemption Permits.

About 182 000 Zimbabweans who hold the permit have been given a year’s grace to migrate to other permits to allow them to stay in South Africa.

VIDEO: Advocate Simba Chitando who is representing Zimbabwean exemption permit holders seeking permanent residence in South Africa reacts to government’s decision to scrap the permits: