SA Rights Groups Demand Urgent Clarity On Zimbabwe Exemption Permit

The Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) and the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA) have raised alarm over the continuing uncertainty surrounding the future of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP), which is due to expire in November 2025.

In a joint statement, the two organisations said thousands of ZEP holders remain in the dark about how the court-ordered consultation process will unfold, or whether the government intends to extend the permit.

They warned that last year’s eleventh-hour extension had already left permit holders in limbo, and that this year’s lack of clarity was creating devastating consequences.

Many permit holders, they said, have already lost jobs, failed to secure school places for their children for the 2026 academic year, and faced difficulties accessing essential healthcare.

HSF and CoRMSA urged the Minister of Home Affairs to urgently clarify the status of the consultation process.

They added that if consultations cannot be completed in time, the government must extend the ZEP well before the November deadline. The organisations said:

“Such action is necessary to prevent further hardship and to uphold fairness and the rule of law.”

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